I Will Always Find You
by LadybugXPrincess
Summary: A red-hooded heroine who is promised to a man she doesn't love, a cat-like rogue who steals her heart, a jealous princess who will stop at nothing to get her happy ending, and an evil sorcerer who threatens to tear the thief and his lady apart forever. (Based off the story of Snow and Charming from OUAT)
1. 1:1: Look What the Cat Dragged In

**PART 1:**

 _Once upon a time, in an Enchanted Forest, there was a boy as black as night and a girl as red as the rose._

 _They shared a love so true and so pure, it could overcome distance, danger, dark magic... and death._

 _But not all fairy tale romances start out with Love at First Sight._

 _Not all heroes start out as noble knights._

 _And not all princesses start out as damsels in distress._

 _For these two lovers faced a great many impossible odds; many forces – both physical and supernatural – that tried to tear them apart at every turn._

 _Yet through all the pain and dissonance and grief, this boy and girl persevered._

 _Not simply because they were destined to be together..._

 _But because they believed in their hearts they would find each other._

 _This is how their story began..._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1:**_

 _ **Look What the Cat Dragged In**_

Princess Marinette had been hoping for some excitement on the carriage ride to Castle Bourgeois.

She just never imagined it would appear in the form of a robbery.

It all started while the royal convoy was making their way along a rather uneven trail through the shimmering woods known as the Enchanted Forest.

Through the tall mass of trees, golden sunlight poured in and cast tiny shadows along the ground. The soft breeze made them dance, and Marinette imagined the trees were alive – watching her and putting on a performance in her honour. Perhaps the shadows weren't shadows at all, but fairies or tree spirits... or dark imps waiting to lure human maidens into their clutches. Whether or not those assumptions were true, the Enchanted Forest always had a mysterious aura which made it unlike any wood in the realm. Nothing was ordinary here, if the stories were to be believed.

Nothing fascinated Marinette more than the magical and the mysterious. She stared out at the evergreen landscape from her spot at the carriage window, having half a mind to stretch her hand outside and sway it to the rhythm of the wind.

A deep voice beside her broke through Marinette's hazy daydreams. "What do you think of the view, my dear?"

Marinette nearly groaned at having her quiet moment interrupted, but she cast a sleepy smile over to her betrothed anyway.

Prince Theo of Bourgeois was as handsome and regal as befitting a man of his stature: sleek brown hair pulled back from his sharp face, untarnished skin that seemed to tighten whenever he smiled, and deep brown eyes that always made Marinette shiver whenever they looked at her. Theo was constantly trying to get her attention, whether he asked for it or not.

It wasn't that Marinette thought the prince was being rude. She just wished she could enjoy being with her fiancé without him trying to please her every waking minute of their quality time together. From the moment their parents had introduced them to each other, Theo rarely left Marinette's side... and rarely stopped looking at her like a hunter would a prized doe.

Still, Marinette would play the respectful princess – or else earn another scornful look from the girl sitting across from her in the carriage.

Dressed from head to toe in a blue gown that matched her pale eyes, Princess Chloe waited for Marinette to respond to her brother's query. She batted her fan at her face irritably, as though the silence itself was giving her a heatstroke.

 _If only_ , Marinette thought bitterly, though she held her cheery facade.

"It's lovely," the princess finally responded, tucking a stray strand of her bluish-black hair behind her ear. "I've never seen this part of the Enchanted Forest before. Have you, Chloe?" She cocked her head at her future sister-in-law.

The golden-haired princess cast her eyes to the ceiling in a disapproving manner; a very Chloe-like custom Marinette had grown used to. "What difference does it make? All trees look the same," Chloe scoffed. She adjusted herself in her seat and smoothed out the folds of her dress. "This is taking forever," she complained, glaring at her brother. "I told you coming down the Troll Road was a ridiculous idea."

Theo seemed to squirm away from her gaze. "Apologises, sister. I thought it would be fun to take a scenic route home."

"Well, next time, pick a _quicker_ route... with far less bumps," Chloe grumbled when the carriage unexpectedly jerked.

Marinette fiddled with the brown leather pouch in her lap, wondering if she should speak up. _She_ had been the one to suggest to Theo earlier that they take the Troll Road. That small, selfish part of her had wanted to spend just a few more hours in the comfort of the forest – away from the looming future she currently did not have the courage to face.

 _Home_. That's what she would soon call Castle Bourgeois, the seat of the widowed King Andre, in all its grand golden glory. It wasn't that much of a change from her own castle in Dupain-Cheng, where her mother and father ruled; where her older sister Bridgette would one day rule. It was the towering wall of King Andre's castle that troubled Marinette. From the outside, it looked like a beautiful cloistered prison with no way in or out. On the inside, the various rooms and apartments were openly spacious and lavish, yet devoid of any warmth or quiet.

Marinette would always remind herself that she would get used to Bourgeois in time, just like she would get used to the prince who would become her husband.

 _Get used to them, yes... but will I come to like them?_

Before long, Chloe was complaining again. "Ugh, can we please close the curtains now? All this heat is attracting too many bugs!" She batted her fan again. "Marinette, are you even listening to me?"

Marinette wanted to stuff that fan right down Chloe's bodice and see if _that_ would cool her down. Her bluebell eyes said as much, but she forced her exhausted mouth to smile again. "With your high keen, Chloe, its impossible not to," she said playfully.

Theo broke into a throaty chuckle. "My bride has a sense of humour," he said, flashing his hard white teeth. "You could learn something from her, Chloe."

The golden-haired princess merely gave Marinette an abolished look, one the latter knew she was going to pay for once they got to Bourgeois.

Suddenly, the carriage ground to a halt, almost sending Marinette and Theo over.

Chloe fell back against her cushions and displayed her trademark eye-roll. "Oh, now what? _Another_ delay?"

Theo sighed and patted Marinette's hand with his own gloved one. "Fret not, ladies," he assured. "I'll a take look. Wait here."

Marinette knew he had spoken more to her than to both girls. Second-born princes never gave their older sisters a direct order.

Theo exited out the door on his side before slamming it shut, jarring the whole carriage. Marinette took that as an indication that he wanted to handle the situation on his own.

She heard the whinnies of horses and the murmurs of men from outside – their escort of royal guards, no doubt. Marinette poked her head out her window, but the trail ahead was obscured by armoured bodies bearing the blue and silver colours of Bourgeois.

Marinette debated staying here like Theo's good little bride-to-be, or going out there and deciding for herself what kind of situation they were in. Marinette now wished she had brought her bow and quiver of arrows along for the trip, just to feel safer, but a certain future-sister-in-law forbade the presence of weapons in the carriage.

"If I have to spend another hour in this stuffy wagon..." Chloe protested. "I mean, just look at my hair – it might as well be a bird's nest!"

Marinette made her decision in a heartbeat.

She placed her pouch on her seat and was out the door by the time Chloe called, "Hey! Are you're just going to leave me here? Marinette!"

The princess of Dupain-Cheng straightened her rose-coloured riding jacket and breathed in the sharp scent of pine and dew. Then she strode through the commotion of perplexed guards and anxious horses, two of which remained fastened to the front of the carriage. The chestnut stallions pattered their hooves against the gravel, as though they could sense the trouble and were desperate to get moving again.

Marinette finally caught up to Theo and two of his men up front, where she saw what all the fuss was about: a fallen tree lying flat upon the road, too thick for the carriage to roll across, but not too heavy for the guards to lift out of the way.

Theo barked his commands to the soldiers before finally acknowledging Marinette's presence. "Just a tree, my beloved," he said with a hard smile, as though the whole ordeal annoyed him. "My men will have it out of the way in no time. Then we'll be on our way."

But Marinette had no intention of climbing back into the carriage with her overbearing future sister-in-law. The princess surveyed the fallen tree while the Bourgeois guards scattered about it, debating whether to roll it or heave it off the road. Marinette came to the edge of the road where the tree had broken off.

Something caught Marinette's attention. She bent down over the jagged tip and ran her bare fingers over the bark. Jagged, but smooth. Unquestionably torn off, but not by natural means.

"Princess?" one of the soldiers asked as he watched her. "Is something wrong?"

Several more eyes, including Theo's, turned in Marinette's direction.

Marinette kept her own eyes narrowed on the tree trunk. She had seen enough servants chopping logs back in Dupain-Cheng to know what hatchet marks looked like. "This tree didn't fall on its own," she stated to the onlookers. "It's been cut."

An eerie feeling crept up her spine, followed by a cold realization that struck her core. Marinette instantly stood up. "Get back to the carriage," her voice rose.

Theo stared at her confusedly. "What do you...?"

Marinette snapped to him, her hair whirling. "Get back!" she shouted. "It's an ambush!"

A shrill scream erupted from the carriage. Chloe!

Marinette turned towards the carriage just as a black-clad figure emerged from the doorway – as though one of the shadows of the forest had come to life.

"Help! Thief!" Chloe shrieked. "Somebody save me!"

As though the golden princess's cries were painful, the figure hissed like a cat and climbed to the top of the carriage. He was grasping something small and brown in one hand.

 _My pouch!_ Marinette realized.

"Stop him!" Theo shouted.

Marinette was already two steps ahead of him, racing for one of the spare horses unoccupied by the soldiers.

Meanwhile, the thief leapt off the carriage in a graceful swoop and landed on one of the occupied horses. With a great shove, he sent the guard sprawling along the ground before flying into the saddle and kicking the frightened white beast into action.

Marinette had already swung her leg over her own horse by the time the thief started down the opposite way of the trail. "Hyah!" she shouted with resolve, urging her stallion forward.

Even through the pounding of hooves and Chloe's consistent screaming, Marinette heard Theo call out her name.

The princess charged after the thief, who glanced behind him as he rode on. Marinette could see the lower part of his face, swearing she caught the traces of a sly grin. Marinette nudged her horse's sides and gained more speed. The wind blew her hair behind her, leaving her face exposed to the sharp branches and leaves that threatened to skewer her on her way by.

"Come on, come on..." Marinette murmured, noting the closing distance between her and her objective. It seemed to take forever trying to shorten the gap, the thief threatening to slip from her reach any second.

But Marinette had ridden since she was six – and no horse master in Dupain-Cheng had ever had a finer student.

Finally, the two horses met each other neck-in-neck. The thief barely had time to register this new predicament before Marinette came hurdling at him.

Their bodies collided hard, but the ground was harder.

Marinette cried out as she rolled along the earth, pain shooting through her arms and back. _Definitely going to have some bruises._

Spitting out grit from her mouth, Marinette scrambled to her hands and knees and crawled over to the fallen thief. He lay twisted in his black cloak, groaning.

Throwing her hair away from her face, Marinette gripped the thief's shoulders hard and pulled him onto his back. "Show yourself, you –!"

Her insult was replaced by a tiny gasp as Marinette beheld the face beneath the hood.

It was a boy.

He was possibly the same age as her, if not a bit older. Soft strands of golden hair lay plastered to the glistening sweat of his brow. As dishevelled as he was, his face had a certain glow about it, evidenced further by the way his mouth parted away in silent awe. His eyes bore into Marinette's – she had never seen a more brilliant shade of green – and they seemed to cut through her in a way that made the princess reel back. Not in fear or disgust, but shock.

Marinette almost forgot who she was dealing with and why she had been chasing him. For in that brief instant, the only thing bothering her was the strange pounding in her ears. "Who..." her voice croaked. "Who are you?"

The boy's face broke into a feline smile, teeth flashing bright. "Terribly sorry about this," he replied casually.

Before Marinette could regain her wits, the boy threw her off in a not-so-graceful fashion, sending her onto her back in a heap of dust.

Through the coughing and the tears, Marinette saw the handsome thief rise to his feet and give the princess a deep bow.

"But you may call me Cat Noir," he said, never letting his playful grin diminish.

Marinette growled and rubbed at her eyes, knowing she couldn't let him escape. But by the time she stood back up, the boy was already back on his stolen horse and speeding away down the trail shouting, "Heigh-ho, Dusty! Away!"

The way he said that – so juvenile and mischievous – almost made Marinette laugh.

Until she remembered the thief still had her pouch, and Marinette glowered in his direction. "You can't hide from me!" she called with as much fervour as she could muster. "Wherever you go, I _will_ find you!"

The boy looked back at her once last time, and again Marinette could see traces of that cat-like amusement.

Panting heavily, Marinette kicked the ground at her feet, her shoulders sagging.

She continued to stare down the trail even after the thief had completely vanished. She continued to stare even when she heard the clatter of more hooves and a familiar voice reaching out to her.

"Marinette!" Theo cried as he practically leapt off his saddle and ran to her side. "Are you all right? Did he hurt you?" he asked, constantly pulling her face towards his.

The princess squirmed from his grasp. "No, Theo, I'm fine. Really!" she added adamantly when he persisted in looking over her. Marinette tore away and looked back in the direction in which the black-clad thief had taken off.

 _He took my purse..._

She knew she should be devastated. She should be crying and begging Theo to hunt that rogue down and get it back for her.

Instead, Marinette couldn't help but smile through her shocked stupor. She was a princess, and she had been _robbed_. She was a princess, and _she_ had caught a thief all on her own, even if it was a short-lived victory.

She had always wanted a little excitement. It seemed Fate had its own means of granting wishes.

Reluctantly, Marinette let Theo lead her back to the carriage on his horse. Her elated behaviour, unfortunately, did not go unnoticed by a certain mortified future sister-in-law.

"Where have you been?" Chloe spat. "And what could you possibly be _smiling_ about? Can't you see I've just been vandalized?!"

Luckily, her brother came to her rescue. "That braggart will pay dearly for this!" Theo hissed as he signalled his men to get moving. "I'll send out warrants for his arrest at once. And when I catch him, I'll carry out his lashing with my own hand!"

The prince turned sharply towards Marinette as she leaned exhausted against the side of the carriage. His tone was softer this time, but it still had the steel of a blunted blade. "Did you see his face, Marinette? Who was he?"

Marinette just stared out absent-mindedly towards the far end of the trail from whence they came.

She didn't know what came over her, but the princess shook her head and exhaled, "I don't know. He knocked me over before I got a good look at him."

All the while, a small flame kindled inside Marinette's chest, and she finally understood why she told Theo that.

It was _her_ purse that had been taken. _Her_ property. _Her_ problem. And she was going to settle things _her_ way.

But first, she needed to learn more about this peculiar thief. This...

 _Cat Noir_.

* * *

 **MB: Yay! Here at last is my _Miraculous_ - _OUAT_ crossover!**

 **My story will be split into "parts", and every part will have about six chapters. So when you go to the list of chapters above, for example, it will say "1:1" and then the title. That translates to "Part 1: Chapter 1".**

 **Also, every chapter title will be a funny catch phrase or pun related to the theme of the chapter. Yes, I know, that's very Cat Noir of me. I was mostly inspired by the way _Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Trilogy_ does their mission titles.**

 **So, yeah... happy reading!**


	2. 1:2: Friends in High Places

**PART 1:**

 _ **Chapter 2:**_

 _ **Friends in High Places**_

 _Two weeks later..._

" _Adrien..._ "

He had dreamed about her again last night.

Her voice was unmistakable, reverberating off the stretching walls of dark stone. It sounded so close, yet no matter where he turned or how far he ran, she was nowhere to be seen.

She had been calling for her son. What she didn't know was that her son was long gone.

When Cat Noir awoke, he panicked thinking he was still trapped in the stone tunnel, never to find the light of day. But then he saw the man-made curtain of pine branches concealing the entrance to the hollow tree he slept in. Almost laughing from having made such a fuss, Cat Noir sighed with relief and shook out his floppy golden hair.

He blamed the bottle of ale he had consumed last night. Nothing else would have caused his mental defences to go down and brought up those awful nightmares.

The bottle had been a gift from his friend Nino – the fruits of their last big heist together a few days past. Cat Noir figured he could enjoy one evening in peace without having to keep an eye open for marauders or bandits... or worse, Akuma Guards.

 _On the bright side_ , Cat Noir thought as he gathered his belongings in a sack, _that was the longest sleep I've had in weeks._

Ever since that little incident on the Troll Road two weeks ago, Cat Noir made a point to avoid public inns and taverns in any village his travels took him. He couldn't risk letting anyone see his face in case that dark-haired princess told everyone what her attacker looked like. _Serves me right for stealing from somebody without double-checking who it is I'm stealing from._ But the gold had run out and Cat Noir had been desperate, so he did what he had to do.

Strangely enough, the new posters bearing the royal emblem of Bourgeois never bore his face – just a vague description of "a tall boy clad entirely in black". Despite that small assurance, Cat Noir never wandered through crowded places in broad daylight, and he had spent many sleepless nights trying to cover his tracks.

After all, King Andre wasn't the _only_ monarch he was trying to avoid.

Cat Noir stretched out his stiff arms and made doubly-sure he got everything in the hideout: his quarterstaff, his cloak, his knife, his rations, his hunting and trapping gear...

His bright green eyes fell on something glinting in the daylight, and he nearly swore.

Reaching out, Cat Noir lifted a small glass vial tied onto a long string. It was heart-shaped; not exactly the kind of jewelry men usually wore. But the thief didn't care about details. Besides, it was the handful of sparkling golden dust inside the vial that mattered to him.

He smiled and hung the vial around his neck, making sure to tuck it safety underneath his black tunic.

 _There. Now I can go._

With his sack slung over his shoulder and his staff in his good hand, Cat Noir crawled out of the hollow tree and into the woodland world. A flock of sparrows soared overhead, twittering their salutations. The air still bore a bit of the previous night's chill, but Cat Noir knew the beating sun would warm the forest floor in no time.

Humming to himself, Cat Noir strode away from his shelter, wishing he could stay there longer...

An unusual snapping sound made him stop.

But he was still too late as the moss-covered "ground" beneath his feet swallowed him up and hoisted him into the air.

Letting out a frightened yelp, Cat Noir tried to swing his staff around. Unfortunately, a thick net of rope entangled itself in his arms and legs, preventing him from moving. He felt himself bouncing precariously in the air before slowing to a stop.

Cat Noir gritted his teeth and struggled against his bonds.

Of course someone just HAD to set a trap for him the night he passed out completely from that stupid bottle of ale. _Nino, I am going to kill you._

The only question was: Was it the Bourgeois who caught him, or Akumas? Cat Noir cursed himself for letting his guard down so easily. If he died here, then he would never hear that woman's voice again. He'd never...

A twinkling laugh made his breathing stop.

Since his legs were suspended above him and his arms below him, Cat Noir had to angle his head awkwardly to his right just to get a good look at what was below him.

He wasn't surprised to see a small, delicate figure – undoubtedly female – emerging from behind the trees, laughing up at him from underneath her broad hood.

What surprised him was her strange choice in clothing.

The leather vest, matching gloves and knee-high boots, white tunic and grey pants were simple enough. But over top all that, the girl wore a long, elegant cloak that was as red as a ripe apple or a bouquet of roses, depending on what you liked best. And there were several large black spots spread out in an asymmetrical pattern along the red.

In her hands, the girl held a long bow, probably made of cheery wood, with silver metal ends. A quiver sat at her back, filled to the brim with red-fletched arrows.

 _Apparently she has a particular colour scheme_ , Cat Noir thought with a mixture of wonderment and bewilderment.

That didn't make her any less an enemy. "Who are you?" Cat Noir demanded, trying to hide the concern in his tone. "What do you want?"

The figure lifted a gloved hand and pulled her hood back, revealing midnight-blue hair tied back into two ponytails. An elf-like face adorned with freckles greeted him. Bright pink lips smiled up at him cunningly. Her eyes – like twin pools of crystal-clear water – bore a hint of childish triumph.

Cat Noir felt his core shiver. He could never forget such a face, even if he wanted to. "Princess?"

The girl nodded. "I told you I'd find you, Cat Noir," she announced proudly, leaning a bit on her bow. "Wherever you are, I will always find you."

Cat Noir had to smile at that. Of course he remembered her words too. But to be brutally honest, he thought it had all just been an empty threat. Not every beautiful princess – and yes, he admitted she was adorable, especially in that hood – would go to great lengths to hunt down and successfully capture a thief all by herself.

It made Cat Noir curious about this particular princess more and more. "I've heard of women ensnaring men, but _this_..." He glanced around at the net that held him. "This certainly takes it to new heights."

The princess snorted. "Forgive me," she said flatly, "but I don't crack jokes with thieving scum."

Cat Noir's eyebrows shot up. "Ouch. That's not very lady-like."

"I don't recall asking for your opinion."

 _That_ made his grin broaden. "Oh, apologises, _my lady_ ," he said, awkwardly trying to bow but remembering he was stuck in a net. "And might I say that the whole ladybug get-up suits you so nicely?" An idea struck him. "Hey! That's what I'll call you – Ladybug."

The girl seemed to find that amusing, because she looked away to hide her mirth. "I have a name, in case you were wondering," she stated.

"I was," Cat Noir admitted, "but I like Ladybug better."

They stared at each other in silence for a brief moment. Cat Noir wondered if she was thinking of some better insults to throw at him.

Not getting anywhere, Cat Noir shrugged and beckoned to his predicament. "Now, uh... can you get me down from here, _purr_ -ty please?"

Ladybug dug her bow into the ground and folded her arms as-a-matter-of-factly. "Sure," she replied, " _after_ you give me back the purse with the jewels you stole."

Cat Noir placed a hand on his heart, pretending to look bemused. "Moi?" he asked. "I'm not really the jewelry type."

"I've noticed," Ladybug said dryly.

 _That_ made him purr. " _Meow_ , my lady has claws too," he said, flashing his feline grin.

The princess sighed through her nose and gave him a look that said, _I'm not in the mood_.

Cat Noir took the hint and tapped his temple. "Hang on a second..." He thought long and hard before snapping his fingers. "Brown leather pouch? Has the initials "DC" on it?"

"Yes!" Ladybug exclaimed.

 _I'm never getting down from here_ , Cat Noir thought mournfully as he uttered, "Yeah, I might of... sold it."

Her eyes became daggers. "What?!" she growled.

"I sold it, okay?" Cat Noir said, throwing his hands in the air. "What did you expect? Besides, don't you have a stock-full of jewels up at that big palace of yours?"

"These were special!" Ladybug insisted. Cat Noir could feel the desperation in her voice.

He rolled his eyes at her. "Figures."

"One of them was an emerald ring that belonged to my father," Ladybug explained as though she thought he cared. "I was going to give it to..." she paused and sighed with an awkward glance at the ground before finishing, "To my fiancé."

 _That_ made him laugh. "The git with the goatee? You're with _him_?" Cat Noir chortled. He took a deep breath to clear his head. "Honestly, Princess, I think you can do better than that."

Ladybug seemed to take offense to that, though it was not his intention. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?" she demanded, eyes narrowed.

Cat Noir sighed. "Look, I may be a thief but I'm smart enough to know how a royal marriage works," he explained, peering at her sombrely through the holes in the net. "It's just a ceremonial business transaction – nothing more. True love?" He shook his head. "Doesn't exist."

Ladybug placed her hands on her hips now, looking like she resembled that remark. "Oh, so you're a joker _and_ a love expert?" she enquired. "What about True Love's Kiss, or Love at First Sight?"

 _Is she for real?_ "If _that_ were true," Cat Noir said with an enticing sneer, "you would have fallen for me already."

Ladybug's face turned almost as red as her cloak, and she turned away from him fumigating.

It made the thief chuckle even more... but it also made him curious. "Let me guess," he suggested. " _His_ kingdom is at war with _yours_ , so... what? The marriage is a last ditch effort to sue for peace?"

Ladybug snapped back to him. "It's supposed to be a merger," she argued, "and..." She stopped and shook her head. "And quite frankly, it's none of your business!"

Cat Noir shrugged.

The princess stepped closer to him so that he could look at her dead in the eye. "Now, let me tell you what's going to happen," she said.

Cat Noir nodded eagerly. "Uh-huh?"

"I'm going to cut you down..."

"Uh-huh."

"You're going to lead me to whoever you sold the ring to..."

"Uh-huh."

"And you're going to help me get it back," Ladybug affirmed.

Cat Noir frowned and shook his head. "Uh-uh."

She frowned at him in return. "Unless you _want_ to hang from the air with back cramp for the rest of your life," she offered him.

He smirked. "Aside from the obvious, why would a "thieving scum" like me want to help you?" he asked her.

The conniving smirk she threw back at him made him nervous. Then she reached into the folds of her tunic, and Cat Noir sincerely thought she was going to gut him with a knife right then and there.

"Because I don't think you want me telling everyone your true identity, Cat Noir," Ladybug replied as she pulled out a folded piece of parchment. "Or should I say..." She unfolded it and presented it to his face. "Prince Adrien?"

Well, it wasn't a knife, but it still turned Cat Noir a shade of white.

Upon the weathered paper was a perfectly hand-drawn replica of his face: not smiling, hair neatly brushed, skin flawless, eyes painted in the right shade of green.

Below the image sat a line of painted letters that read, "For crimes against the King of Agreste."

And below that line were three big bold words stacked on top of each other: "TREASON, MURDER, TREACHERY."

Cat Noir swallowed a heavy lump in his throat.

Ladybug noticed that and dangled the poster. "I've heard Lord Hawkmoth has offered a huge bounty for your capture," she said enticingly.

That name made him squirm, but the net held taut. _Shit._

The devious princess refolded the poster and added, "And I'm willing to bet he's not as "lady-like" as I am." She turned her back to him and shrugged, taking small steps away from her prisoner. "Why don't I go to his castle right now and find out? It's not like you're going anywhere fast."

 _Shit_. "Wait!"

Ladybug stopped.

Cat Noir bit his lip, cursed again, and then let out a slow, heavy sigh. "You have to swear you won't turn me over to that wizard when this is over." His tone wasn't threatening, but it carried a hard edge.

Ladybug turned back to him, her own voice even. "Only if _you_ uphold your end of the bargain," she declared like a trueborn noble. "No tricks. No running away. No flattery."

The thief clenched a fist to his chest. "Cat's honour."

She shook her head at him. "Nah, I'm going to need more than the word of a wanted fugitive."

"What about the word of a prince?"

Ladybug blinked at him.

Cat Noir didn't like to get all dramatic or sensitive in front of people, but this girl already knew his real name. If he was going to make sure she wouldn't think about double-crossing him and handing him to his archenemy, honesty was the only way to go.

Taking another deep breath, Cat Noir locked his green eyes with her blue ones and spoke with pure candour, "I swear on the life of my mother, Queen Vivienne of Agreste – I will help you get your ring back in any way I can. No funny business whatsoever."

A pall of awkward silence hung between them. Ladybug's eyes appeared to soften.

Until Cat Noir said with a tiny smile, "Besides, I wouldn't want to ruin your chance at true love anyway."

Ladybug rolled her eyes.

"So... are we agreed?" Cat Noir asked nervously.

The princess dipped her chin firmly. "Agreed."

She reached into her boot and drew a small hunting knife. Then, without so much as a warning, Ladybug slashed at the rope beside her that held the net up in the air.

The net plummeted to the ground... taking a startled Cat Noir with it.

Once he was free of the mess of ropes and moss, Cat Noir rubbed at his sore bottom as Ladybug extended her free hand towards him.

"And I thought cats always landed on their feet," she jeered.

Grunting, Cat Noir took her hand and allowed her to pull him up. "A fine jest, my Ladybug," he said haughtily, "but I had it covered."

If he hadn't promised not to flatter her, he would have been tempted to kiss her hand right there. But a deal was a deal.

And so the young rogue picked up his staff and led his unexpected and unsolicited new companion in the direction leading to the one place he had hoped he would never return to again.

Little did he know – little did they _both_ know, actually – that this little business venture of theirs would mark the start of a new chapter in their lives.


	3. 1:3: Testing Waters

**PART 1:**

 _ **Chapter 3:**_

 _ **Testing Waters**_

Apparently, hiking through the Enchanted Forest wasn't as easy as it sounded.

Several times, Marinette stumbled off a stray root that came out of nowhere. Other times, she had to crawl up steep crevices in the dirt or try to jump off them without twisting her ankles. But she held her tongue through it all, knowing she would slowly turn into Chloe if all she did was complain.

 _Besides_ , Marinette assured herself as she followed Cat Noir through the woods, _this is what an adventure is all about: getting dirty._

Not to mention the sightseeing. The amazing wonders to behold in the Enchanted Forest were well-worth the sweat and sore feet. The trees grew thicker and taller as the two companions walked on, almost as big as the spires of Castle Dupain-Cheng. _No, definitely bigger_ , Marinette thought with a surge of joy. Nothing in her homeland could compare to any of this.

One of these enormous trees had fallen and served as a bridge down a rather steep hill. As Marinette carefully tiptoed along the moss-covered trunk, she felt like a little red ant. But even fallen trees had their dangers. Marinette's foot slipped off at one point, and she bent over this way and that before regaining her balance. Heart pounding, she held her arms out at her sides, suddenly wishing she could move back the way she came.

But then Cat Noir was there in front of her, extending his gloved hand to her. He didn't say a word – to her relief – but his smile of reassurance made her tightened core ease up a bit. She took his hand, gripping it firmly as he led her down the makeshift bridge and back onto steady ground.

Marinette tried not to look at him for the next few minutes. She didn't know what was making her feel this way. She _shouldn't_ be feeling this way.

This thief – this wanted criminal – had the patience of a well-trained cat, but that didn't mean he didn't have any claws. More than once, Marinette found herself glancing over at Cat Noir, wondering if he was plotting some cunning escape plan. _He gave me his word_ , Marinette reminded herself constantly. But a small hard twinge in her gut whispered: _What good is the word of a thief and murderer? There's a reason the most powerful sorcerer in the realm is hunting him down._

Though she had grown up in luxury and security, the princess was no stranger to the babblings of the common-folk. Lord Hawkmoth, the self-styled Sorcerer King, was a usual topic. But every new tale about him was always different from the last, and the legend became something more of fiction than fact. The most frequently told version was this: Hawkmoth had been in love with Queen Vivienne of Agreste, the fairest woman in the land, until she had been murdered by her own son, sending the sorcerer into such a grief-stricken rage that he cut down any unfortunate soul in his wake.

Cat Noir had told Marinette that Queen Vivienne was his mother. He had sworn on her life that he wouldn't deceive her. It made Marinette suspicious. _How can you swear on the life of someone believed to be dead?_

Something glinted in her peripheral vision, and Marinette looked over to see Cat Noir fiddling with something at his throat: a glass pendant of some kind.

It made her smirk. "I thought you said you weren't the jewelry type," she said.

The green-eyed rogue grinned at her. "I like to think of it as my lucky charm," he said as he tucked the pendant away. "It gets me going throughout the day."

Marinette could sense the sincerity in his words, but they were still ambiguous. Then again, thieves always seemed to rely on luck.

A drop of perspiration trickled down her ear. Marinette wiped it off and took a deep breath. Her throat was as dry as stone. "How much further is your buyer?" she asked without sounding _too_ crabby.

"About a day's walk from here," Cat Noir responded as they emerged onto a winding trail of dirt and boulders. "There's a bridge beyond the River Marsh that connects this part of the forest to the mountains up north. The guardian who dwells there requires payment for passage."

The unease in his tone when he said "guardian" made Marinette put two-and-two together. "Let me guess: _that's_ who you gave my ring to."

Cat Noir looked back at her with a confidant nod. "Very good, my lady." He slowed to walk next to her as he continued to explain, "So basically, we cross the river, get to the bridge, bargain for your ring back, and then you go home to your happily ever after. Problem solved."

She knew he meant that as a joke, but that didn't stop Marinette from turning her head away and rubbing her lips together anxiously.

Those green eyes watching her noticed. "What? Getting wedding jitters already?" Cat Noir teased.

Marinette shook her head and tried to move faster. "Not exactly," she grumbled.

But his strides were longer than hers. "Ohhhh, I get it..." Cat Noir said, his smile fading. "You don't like him."

It was the bluntness of that statement – as though he had all the evidence in the world to prove it – that made Marinette look up at him. "He's not horrible," she claimed. "He's just..."

Her mind became a mess of jumbled words. _What should I say? He's just so enamoured with me that I constantly have to look away? He's just not what I envisioned when I imagined meeting the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with?_

Marinette sighed. "We barely know each other," she finally stated. It was as close to the truth as she would give him.

Sadly, Cat Noir wasn't convinced. "Then why are you marrying him?"

The princess snapped to him. "Why do you care?" she asked rather harshly. Why was he being so nosy about her personal life?

He answered both her questions at once: "You don't strike me as the "princess in the tower" type – waiting for your Prince Charming to come sweep you off your feet and carry you away."

Marinette stopped in her tracks. Before she could stop herself, she asked him, "Then... what type _do_ I strike you as?"

Cat Noir halted next to her and leaned with both hands on the end of his staff, his mouth curling up into a warm grin. It made Marinette's own face heat up. "You live for the adventure," the thief said earnestly. "I saw it in your eyes the moment I met you. You know..." His eyes twinkled with mischief. "...after you tackled me off that horse."

Marinette tried not to let that greenish twinkle unnerve her. "You were stealing," she argued. "Somebody had to stop you, so I did."

"You _almost_ did, my lady," Cat Noir corrected, "but you get full points for trying."

 _Is he for real?_ Marinette snorted. "I thought we'd agreed no attempts at flattery," she reminded him.

"It's not flattery, it's a compliment."

"Well, it's not every day you catch a treasonous prince."

Cat Noir's smile fell instantly, his mouth tightening into a thin line. He tried to turn away from her.

But then Marinette gripped his shoulder. She hadn't meant to be so bold with him, but now that she'd had a taste of it, she couldn't find it in her to stop. "You think you know me. What about _you_ , Cat Noir or Adrien or whatever you call yourself?" the princess demanded. "How many innocent people have you abused and threatened over the course of your notorious crusade?"

Cat Noir made no move to pull away or throw her off, but his eyes hardened into razor-sharp emeralds. "I've never hurt any civilians." He spoke as though he swallowed something foul. " _Not one_."

Marinette blinked at him. Her grip on his shoulder lessened, but she didn't let go. _Keep talking_ , her bluebell eyes told him. _Then I'll decide for myself._

Cat Noir sighed through his nose. "Up until now, I only stole from Hawkmoth and his followers," he explained. "I thought your carriage was one of his supply convoys. Nobody else comes down the Troll Road."

Marinette shrugged. "We took a scenic route," she insisted.

"So you're adventurous _and_ reckless," Cat Noir deduced flatly. "Anything else I should I probably know, Ladybug or Your Highness or whatever you call yourself?"

The corner of her mouth rose up. "Yeah, I'm very good at distracting you," she stated as she removed her hand from his shoulder...

...while the other hand came back with something small and shiny tied to a long string.

Cat Noir gasped and reached for his throat, his pupils shrinking. "Hey! How did you –! Give that back!"

He made a swipe for the pendant, but Marinette danced out of his way giggling. She dangled the little glass vial over the ground, making sure to put herself between it and the thief.

"Careful!" Cat Noir pleaded. He held his hand out towards her, his eyes watching the swinging pendant. "It's very delicate!"

Marinette raised an eyebrow at the powdery concoction within the vial. "Dust?" she said skeptically.

Cat Noir looked at her this time as he answered, " _Fairy_ dust."

The princess almost dropped the thing out of shock. Looking back at it, she could see what she couldn't quite see before: speckles of rainbow light amongst the tracks of golden sand-like grains.

Fairy dust: a common moniker for _etheria_ , the magic of fairies. There were entire legends surrounding the belief that the world had been molded and shaped by fairy magic. Was Marinette really holding such magic on the ends of her fingers? She recalled those old bedtime stories she had been told as a little girl. If she remembered correctly, fairy dust was not to be trifled with – good or bad.

Marinette glanced back at Cat Noir, her eyes wide. "For real?" she breathed.

The thief nodded softly. "Very real, very powerful... and extremely difficult to come by," he replied as he tried to step closer, no doubt to try and snatch the pendant up again.

The princess only backed away further, her brows coming together. "If it's so _very powerful_ ," she repeated, "why didn't you use it on me back there to escape?"

Cat Noir slowly straightened and pointed at the vial. "That is the dust of the golden queen, the purest of the fairies," he clarified. "Just this small amount has the power to break any evil curse; any dark enchantment. It would have been a waste of you."

It _did_ make sense, but it still left Marinette with more questions. "What sort of curse are you trying to break?" she voiced aloud.

Cat Noir bit his lip, staring at his feet as though in shame. When he looked back, Marinette could have sworn his green eyes were glossier than usual.

"I need it to save my mother," Cat Noir said softly.

Marinette lowered her hand, wondering if she'd heard him right. "Queen Vivienne?" she asked. "They said that you killed her." She didn't bother to hide the concern in her voice.

Cat Noir shook his head. "That's what Hawkmoth wants everyone to believe." He locked eyes firmly with her as he went on, "When Hawkmoth took over, he put my mother under a sleeping curse, never to awaken. Then he sent his brainwashed huntsman to cut my heart out."

"Brainwashed?" Marinette asked.

Cat Noir nodded. "Hawkmoth can turn the sweetest, most timid pauper into his ruthless obedient soldier. I think it has something to do with that magic brooch he's always wearing." He made a circular motion over his naval to emphasis his point.

Marinette had never heard this story before. Could that be the reason for all those mysterious disappearances going on? What if they had been taken, not to be killed off, but to be assimilated into the Sorcerer King's army? Such a presumption sent a jolt of dread down Marinette's spine.

"How did you escape?" she enquired.

Her companion smiled slightly. "Hawkmoth may be evil, but he overestimates the skills of his Akuma Guards... and _under_ estimates those of his enemies," he added with a hint of amusement. "I broke his spell on the huntsman and set him free. In his gratitude, he helped me escape into the Enchanted Forest." Cat Noir took a deep breath. "That all happened about a year ago. I've been fighting against Hawkmoth ever since."

Marinette could barely speak. "Then the words on the poster..."

Cat Noir shook his head. "Not true. By framing me for the queen's alleged death, Hawkmoth thinks he can turn the other kingdoms against me. But with _this_..." He pointed to the vial of fairy dust, which Marinette had completely forgotten she still had. "With this, I can wake my mother from her curse and prove my innocence," Cat Noir explained. "Then we can both take down Hawkmoth together and save our people."

The thief held out his hand to Marinette. His face seemed relaxed now, as though the weight of all that information had ebbed away, and that familiar youthful gleam in his eyes returned. "Do you believe me now?" he asked.

The princess – realizing she had her mouth hanging open – closed it brusquely. Was Cat Noir telling her the truth? And even if he was, what was stopping him from upending their bargain and taking off to stop Hawkmoth?

But something in that look he gave Marinette made her remember why she had chosen to trust him in the first place... and _not_ just because he was ruggedly attractive.

With a small smile, Marinette lifted the glass pendant to her companion. "You don't strike me as the "murderous kin-slayer" type," she said with genuine understanding.

Cat Noir smiled with relief as his fingers closed over the vial, and he nodded his thanks to her.

As the two trekked on down the trail, Marinette asked, "So once our business is concluded, you're going to try and save your mother?" She almost added _on your own_ , but she couldn't find it in her to say so.

The thief stared up at the sun-streaked canopy of the forest. "I have to," he answered broodingly. "She's all I have left."

* * *

The two companions continued on in silence. But even then, Cat Noir could tell the princess's perspective of him had changed somewhat. If anything, she no longer gave him suspicious glances – just awkward ones.

It had been weird for him, speaking of his mother and of Hawkmoth to a stranger – and a fellow royal, of all people. Cat Noir was just thankful he would never have to mention the nightmares.

The sound of trickling water roused his spirits.

The two youths emerged from the foliage of greens into a massive clearing of rocks, crooked driftwood logs, and a broad river that stretched on for miles: the River Marsh.

Cat Noir looked over at Ladybug with a childish grin. "Thirsty?" he asked.

They stopped for a break at the river's edge. Ladybug constantly dug her hand into the water and took keen sips from her cupped palm. Her bow was on the ground at her side, out of the way but easily within reach.

Once he had his own fill, Cat Noir splashed water over his neck and hair and shook it freely, sighing from the coolness against his skin. Then he glanced over at his partner.

Even when hunched over like that, Ladybug still looked respectably attractive. Now that they were exposed in the sun, the light seemed to turn her bluish hair brighter, and he could almost count every glistening strand in her ponytails. Her cheeks were flushed, the red contrasting heavily with her porcelain skin, but it made her freckles pop out more.

Her beauty wasn't all that intrigued Cat Noir. She was a princess, and yet here she was down on her knees, getting wet, and drinking water like a common beggar. And she had never once complained or gave him orders the entire way here. In his days at the royal court of Agreste – back when times were happier – Cat Noir never recalled meeting any highborn woman quite like his Ladybug. In fact, he was willing to bet there wasn't _any_ woman like her at all.

His eyes fell on something strapped to her belt: a string of colourful beads bobbing against each other on a red string. _I guess we're both the jewelry types_ , Cat Noir thought. "Those beads you're wearing," he said to Ladybug, "I'm guessing you made that?"

She gave him a sidelong grin. "You've got your lucky charm, I've got mine," she replied simply. Then she began putting her gloves back on.

Suddenly, Cat Noir got an unnatural, stiffening feeling at his back. Snapping around, he searched the wall of forest for any signs of a disturbance. There was none, but that weirdness remained.

It made the hairs on his neck stand on end. "We're too exposed out here," he said gravely. "We should get moving."

Ladybug cocked an eyebrow at him. "Anxious much?"

Cat Noir never took his eyes off the trees. "I've just got a bad feeling," he responded as he grabbed his staff and quickly stood up. "I call it my cat sense."

That only made her giggle. "That's adorable!" Ladybug exclaimed before giving him a teasing smirk. "And what is your mighty cat sense telling you, oh wise magician? Water's too cold? No birds for you to catch and eat?"

The sudden jerk of his hand towards her made her cringe. "Shh!" Cat Noir hissed. "Listen."

Finally realizing he was being serious, Ladybug held her breath and eyeballed their surroundings.

Cat Noir was only human, but a year of being hunted in the woods had greatly helped him identify certain sounds that most humans would otherwise ignore: the crunch of dirt under a heavy boot, the brush of branches against clothing or metal, and the soft breath of a person trying to sneak up on him.

"I don't hear anything," Ladybug whispered defensively. "Cat Noir, you'd better not be trying to trick me, because I've had just about –"

He'd heard the sound midway through her sentence: the harsh twang of a crossbow.

"Look out!" Cat Noir cried, blindly dragging Ladybug off to the side.

 _WHIZZ!_

The black wooden bolt dug into the rocky ground... mere inches from the princess's feet.

Ladybug gasped, her face ashen.

Cat Noir cursed as three purple figures stepped out of the forest towards them.

Their helmets were adorned with spiraling black thorns, giving their faces a grotesque look. Each man had a sword at his hip, and about two of them carried either a crossbow or a club. Their sharp uniforms bore the crest of a dark, misshapen butterfly upon a purple field: Hawkmoth's sigil.

Akuma Guards!

Cat Noir grasped Ladybug's hand. "Run!" he shouted.

She snatched up her bow before the two of them sped down along the river. Another crossbow bolt missed Cat Noir's head by a hair-width and landed in the water ahead. Ladybug yelped as another one whizzed past her.

"We can't run from them forever!" she called as she glanced over her shoulder.

The thief knew she was right. They might be younger and faster, but Akuma Guards were stronger and more resolute. Once you've been marked for death, they'd never stop hunting you.

Cat Noir's insides churned as he scanned the clearing for a way out. Big surprise: there wasn't one. They would have to seek cover in the tress and hope that these Akumas weren't excellent trackers. _Then again_ , Cat Noir thought with a pang, _they managed to find me all the way out here._

They almost passed by a large boulder on the edge of the shore. Thinking fast, Cat Noir ducked behind it, pulling Ladybug down with him.

The princess sank to her knees, panting. "Cat, I don't think this will..." she started.

"They're after me, not you," the thief interjected as he let her go and gripped his staff with both hands. "I'll lead them down the river. Once I've got their attention, you head straight for the woods. I'll meet you there."

He expected her to be stubborn with him, just not in the way he thought. "Wait," Ladybug said, her eyes narrowed. "How do I know you won't leave me with _them_ and make a run for it?"

Cat Noir hid his wounded honour behind a mask of mischief. "And miss helping out a damsel in distress?" he asked with a wink. "Not a chance, my lady. You've still got a wedding to attend, remember?"

He saw something that looked like bemusement on her face before he stood and said staunchly, "Now sit tight – I've got you covered."

Then, like a cat from his perch, he leapt out of his hiding spot and waved to the incoming Akuma Guards. "Hey, Butterfingers!" he shouted to the crossbowman. "I thought Hawkmoth only hired men who could actually hit something!"

As he had hoped, the Akuma growled and pointed at his enemy. "Get him – he's mine!"

Flashing a grin, Cat Noir turned and raced down the edge of the river, which turned into a row of small boulders the further he went. If he could lead them all into the thick patch of forest ahead, he'd have an advantage. Akumas couldn't climb like he could.

Unfortunately, those three soldiers had brought friends.

Two more Akumas emerged from the trees, blocking his way with their swords raised. Glancing behind him, Cat Noir swallowed hard as the captain and his two lackeys finally caught up to him. The thief crouched into a defensive stance, his staff held up high, and looked between the two groups of soldiers as they circled around him.

Cat Noir pretended to look affronted. "Five against one?" he said. "I'd get a few more guys if I were you."

The Akuma with the club charged at him, but Cat Noir batted the weapon out of the way with his staff before laying a hard kick to the soldier's middle, sending him sprawling. One of the two from behind tried to grab him in headlock, but Cat Noir flipped him over his back.

He rose up just in time to block two swords. Then he leapt through an opening in the enemy's circle and landed gracefully on the rocky ledge of the river. Cat Noir tapped the stones with his staff. "Who wants to go first?" he said with a smirk.

The captain with the crossbow shoved one of his men forward. The two twins behind the thief were quarreling over who would make the first move.

"Whoa, no need to push and shove," Cat Noir said sweetly as he twirled his staff. "Everyone will get a turn."

Finally, one of the twins stepped onto the rocks and swiped at him. Cat Noir parried with him before flinging his sword aside and then tripping up his legs in one fell swoop. The Akuma fell into the water with a great splash. "Have a nice swim!" Cat Noir called.

The clubbed man was the next to go, only this time the second twin came at the boy at the same time. Cat Noir panted as he blocked hard blows from either side of him, knowing each man was trying to outdo the other. And to top that off, the captain had already begun stringing his crossbow.

He could try to make a break for it and jump in the river, but they would just follow him until he either got tired or one of their bolts finally hit him. Cat Noir realized with a shudder that his odds of getting out of this unscathed were perilously slim.

 _I just hope Ladybug make it out of harm's way_. If anything, he could take solace in that. With a heavy grunt, Cat Noir held up his hands in surrender.

His two opponents rushed forward, tore his staff away, and pulled his arms taut behind his back, making his shoulder blades groan.

The captain pointed to the ground at his feet. "Bring him here," he barked.

Cat Noir struggled as the soldiers dragged him back onto the dirt-ridden earth and forced him to his knees. He glared up at the captain with his chin held high. No good outlaw went out begging for mercy.

"Prince Adrien," the captain announced proudly.

Cat Noir said nothing, but his hard green eyes said everything.

The captain smiled cruelly and then punched the thief square in the jaw.

Through the ear-ringing pain, Cat Noir heard the other Akumas howl with laughter.

He shook his head of the dizziness, spitting out blood in the process. "You've got what you came for," Cat Noir said with bared, red-streaked teeth. "Now where's the _legendary_ hospitality of the great Lord Hawkmoth?"

"Our master has no need for _you_ , boy," the captain replied. "After all..." He drew a long, pointed dagger from his belt. "It's your heart he's really after."

Cat Noir tried to twist away, but the guards' grip dug painfully into his arms. He couldn't even rise up from the ground without being forced down harder.

The captain sharpened his knife. "Hold him still," he said to his men while glaring at Cat Noir with murderous hunger.

A firm hand gripped his hair and pulled, exposing his neck and chest. Cat Noir cried out as the roots in his head screamed. He knew it was pointless – he was one scrawny boy against five burly soldiers. What had he been thinking, trying to take them all on his own? And for what?

Cat Noir knew the answer... and she was probably long gone by now.

He braced himself for a world of suffering as the captain lifted the dagger above him with both hands.

Then he heard it: a tiny whizzing sound, like an annoying fly.

The captain's eyes bulged and he stiffened, barely uttering a sound. Then he went limp and fell flat onto the dirt. An arrow protruded from his back, the red fletching bright against the backdrop of purple.

 _No way_ , Cat Noir thought breathlessly.

The four remaining Akumas gasped and looked up to see Ladybug standing a few feet down the shore – bow strung, her face contorted into a fierce scowl befitting an angry lioness.

"Get away from him!" the princess bellowed with the voice of a queen.

One of the soldiers not holding onto Cat Noir lifted his sword, but he was still too slow. Ladybug's second arrow took him out in the neck.

The third was ready for her as she charged forward with a gallant yell. Dropping her bow, she drew her knife and knocked the Akuma's blade away from her with a hard swing.

As they fought, Cat Noir realized that his two captors had loosened their grip in their stupor. Seizing his chance, the thief landed an elbow to the gut of one of the soldiers. The hunched man let go, allowing Cat Noir to land a punch to the face of the other. Finally free, Cat Noir reclaimed his fallen staff and rose to his feet.

Meanwhile, Ladybug rolled out of the way of her opponent's thrust. She came back up wielding the captain's dagger. Now armed with two blades, the princess met the Akuma in a whirl of red and black, blocking and kicking and jabbing wherever she saw an opening.

One of the men fighting Cat Noir seemed to give up, grasping his arm from a heavy blow and scurrying away. The other man came at Cat Noir in a fury, slashing through the air in broad strokes and forcing the thief back towards the water. Balancing as carefully as he could on the line of wet boulders, Cat Noir dodged away from the Akuma's mad jabs and swings.

Ladybug shouted from behind him, "Cat Noir, here!"

The thief turned just in time to see her throw him a glinting dagger – the one that almost had his name on it. Cat Noir caught it by the hilt, heaved it back, and then sent it spinning into his opponent's chest. The Akuma dropped like a sack of sand upon the rocks.

Cat Noir turned and saw Ladybug hold her own against her opponent, flailing around like a dancing assassin with her spinning blade. No doubt she was showing off her Cheng heritage – her mother's people from the eastern islands were well-known for their martial arts.

Cat Noir bore an astounded grin. This princess was full of surprises.

A familiar cocking sound made him turn again.

The Akuma who had given up on him had retrieved his captain's crossbow, which was now loaded and pointed directly at his enemy.

Not Cat Noir... but Ladybug!

"No!" the thief shouted, sprinting towards her along the river.

The Akuma saw him, sneered, and redirected his shot right at him.

A whizz, a stabbing pain in his shoulder, a blur of red outlining his vision... Then Cat Noir felt his centre of gravity tip over, and he fell.

He remembered hitting something hard, a cold feeling enveloping him, and then nothing.

* * *

Marinette heard Cat Noir's cry before she heard the shot of the crossbow. She glanced over her shoulder as she parried with her opponent.

Her heart stopped when she saw the black bolt lodged in Cat Noir's shoulder, staining his black tunic with a crimson spot. The blow made him lose his balance and he fell upon the rocks before tumbling into the river with a great splash.

The surface rippled and bubbled, and then it was still.

"Cat Noir!" Marinette cried.

The Akuma bearing his weight down on her chuckled wickedly. "You can't save him now, girl," he purred, licking his lips as their faces met between their blades. "Drop the knife, and I'll consider keeping you around."

Something ignited inside the princess's veins at that moment... and she spat at him right in the eye.

Hissing, the Akuma reared back, but Marinette spun and her knife kissed his throat in a high arc. Blood sprayed, and he collapsed with a gargling gasp.

The soldier who had shot Cat Noir, realizing he was outmatched, turned tail and ran back up the river. Marinette picked up her fallen bow, wanting so much to put an arrow in his skull...

But one quick look at the undisturbed water told her that wasn't an option.

Sheathing her bloody knife and strapping her bow across her back, Marinette raced up to the edge of the river and dove.

The sudden frigidness made her muscles immediately tense up. But Marinette swam deeper, her eyes squinting through the algae-infested water.

Then she saw a black silhouette bobbing along the underwater current, golden hair swaying.

Ignoring the prickling in her lungs, Marinette swam on until Cat Noir was right in front of her, facing downward with his limbs spread out. Hooking an arm around his chest, Marinette heaved him upward and kicked with all her might towards the surface. Though the thief wasn't that heavy, the effort to carry him was slow.

Finally, they broke through the surface. Marinette gasped only to sink back down due to the extra weight. The princess rose again – this time on her back – and let Cat Noir's head rest against her shoulder. Then she kicked out with her feet towards the shore, using her free arm as a rudder and glancing back occasionally to make sure she was going the right way.

All the while, her partner remained unresponsive. The bolt had broken off in the fall, but the wound continued to bleed out steadily.

Marinette's stomach recoiled. Her voice was still raw from breathing and coughing, so she prayed to the high heavens in her mind: _Don't let him die on me now. I still need him. Please..._

Her head nudged a few rocks, and her back scraped against wet sand. With a surge of hope, Marinette crawled her way onto shore with her good arm while heaving Cat Noir up with her in the other. It didn't help that they were both soaked, which made them both heavier.

The beach appeared darker. The sun had set below the tree line, shadowing the entire river. It made Marinette more anxious than ever.

Breathing hard, the princess finally got on her knees and used both hands to drag Cat Noir further onto dry land. As soon as they were clear of the current, Marinette laid him down on his back and tilted his face to the sky.

He looked so pale and lifeless, with dark phantom-like circles around his closed eyelids. Blood from his shoulder seeped into the rocks beneath him.

"No," Marinette breathed as she hovered over him. Droplets from her hair plummeted onto his cheeks. "No, no, no... Cat Noir, wake up!" She grabbed his shoulders and shook him hard, but he remained as limp as an old doll. Panic rose inside Marinette. "Come on... come on!" She slapped his cheeks, shook him again, and pounded her fist on his chest.

She was shivering now, and not just from the cold and wet. She gripped his face with both hands. "Cat, please..." she whispered, her voice shaking. "Come on... come on..."

Suddenly, his chest rose and a strangled gasp emerged from him. Then Cat Noir's head rolled to the side and he threw up a mouthful of water.

The moment he started coughing, Marinette let out a shuddering sigh. _He's alive!_ "Cat...?"

The thief took several deep breaths between coughs and fell back against the sand. Then he blinked his eyes open and stared up at her. "La...Ladybug?" he croaked. "Wha...?" He coughed again. "What happened?"

Marinette almost didn't realize he was asking _her_. She could hardly believe he was even talking. "You... You fell in," she replied hoarsely. "You almost drowned."

Cat Noir continued to stare at her, his chest rising and falling in steady breaths. "The... The Akumas..." he murmured. He blinked several more times to clear his head. "You... killed them?"

The princess's core hardened as the memory resurfaced: watching those ruthless soldiers beat down on Cat Noir like he was target practise; the captain's dagger aiming for his heart; the whizz of the crossbow bolt hitting its target...

Snapping back to reality, Marinette ripped off a portion of her white tunic and used it to pressurize Cat Noir's wound. He winced and bit his lip.

Once that was done, only then did she reply, "They would have killed _you_. Somebody had to stop them..." She shrugged with an awkward smile. "So I did."

Now she was wondering what happened to that last Akuma – the one who had shot her friend. _No doubt scurrying back to his master_ , Marinette thought bitterly. Still, if he told Hawkmoth where they were...

"It's... it's getting dark," Marinette stammered, "and cold. We need to stop and build a fire." Once she was warmer, she would go back along the river and recover their packs. The princess stooped over to Cat Noir's non-wounded side. "Give me your arm."

He threw his arm over her shoulder and did his best to stand up as she helped him to his feet. Marinette then hooked an arm around his waist to keep him steady. "Keep that cloth over that wound for me, would you?" she asked. "I can take a look at it once we're safe."

The thief - surprisingly - did as he was told.

As they started towards the forest, Cat Noir breathed, "Thank you."

"It's the least I can do."

"No... yes, but I meant..." The thief looked at her this time, his green eyes filled with more than just gratitude. "You saved my life. Thank you... my lady." The ghost of a smile appeared on his face.

Marinette returned it with a smile of her own. "It seemed like the right thing to do," she said genuinely.

And despite the fact that she was wet and freezing, Marinette didn't regret that decision for an instant.


	4. 1:4: Story of My Life

**PART 1:**

 _ **Chapter 4:**_

 _ **Story of My Life**_

The crackling of the fire and the chatter of crickets became a song for Marinette to base her stitching on. She moved the needle and thread to the rhythm of the sounds, and little by little, Cat Noir's wound came back together.

The thief remained unusually still as he let her work, scrunching his face a bit whenever the needle poked too hard. Aside from that, he made no attempt to speak to Marinette – no complaints, no jokes, no compliments or flattery.

Not that Marinette minded; she preferred the silence to help her concentrate. But every few minutes she would look up at Cat Noir to make sure he was still breathing. It was hard to look at him without seeing a pale, half-drowned boy in his stead, threatening to slip away from her. Marinette had to stop and rest a few times because her hands her shaking so badly.

But then the warmth of the fire pit – made better with the fresh set of clothes she got from her sack – soothed Marinette's anxiety and helped her focus on the task at hand.

Cat Noir was better too, despite the fact that he had to take his black tunic and leather vest off while Marinette stitched him up. The princess almost wanted to comment that there wasn't much skin for her to work with – the boy was as thin as a reed with barely more than a slight build – but she knew Cat Noir would add a flirtatious remark to that.

 _Maybe he_ is _rubbing off on me_ , Marinette thought with a smirk.

"What is it?" Cat Noir asked out of the blue.

The princess stiffened and shook her head. "Ah, n-nothing," she stuttered. "Just... yeah, nothing." She felt her cheeks warm up again. _It's the fire_ , she told herself.

Cat Noir lifted his good shoulder in a shrug. "So," he said with a sigh, "will I live?"

Marinette finished the stitch and started tying a knot at the end. Her expertise in embroidery, combined with all that training at the royal infirmary, really came in handy. If anything, she was thankful she got a chance to prove her skills outside the palace walls.

"I think you have a bit of luck on your side," the princess mused as she tilted her head. "Still, considering how you almost died, I'd say your nine lives have now dropped to eight."

Cat Noir chuckled.

"Hold still!" Marinette scolded.

"Sorry," the thief said awkwardly. "But I get your point." He snorted. " _Point_. See what I did there?"

Marinette shook her head, grinning. "I think you've lost a _little_ too much blood, silly kitty," she said. She snapped the remaining thread off with her teeth and then ran her fingers over the stitch to make sure there were no holes or loose threads. "Seriously, though, you really could have been killed."

Cool fingers appeared over hers, and Marinette paused. She met Cat Noir's worried stare. Tendrils of orange firelight danced along the green.

"You could've too, Ladybug," Cat Noir said. "Not all of Hawkmoth's Akumas were innocent civilians once. Most of them take great pleasure in killing." The sharpness in his tone faded as he looked off into the distance with a smile. "And you just came right at those guys without a second thought – bow in hand, eyes on fire, limbs flailing like a ninja...!" He shook his head with a laugh. "I'm still getting shivers just thinking about it."

Marinette pulled away from him, heart thudding. "I suppose this is the part where you get to criticize me for not listening to you?" she asked sarcastically.

The thief looked back at her in disbelief. "Are you kidding? If it hadn't been for you..." He swallowed hard. "I'd be short one heart."

Once again, Marinette saw herself lying on that shore, trying to resurrect a corpse. She turned away and began closing up her sewing pouch. "You should feel fine in the morning, but I'd try not to lift anything for the next few days," she stated, trying to assure herself more than her patient.

After her clean-up was done, the princess turned back to Cat Noir, who was now slowly pulling his tunic back on. "You were pretty impressive too," Marinette commended. "I've never seen anyone fight with a staff before. I'm guessing your cat-like fighting style is part of your act?"

Cat Noir's head popped out of his shirt and he nodded. "Let's just say the bad guys don't take you seriously unless you mean business," he said. "Being Cat Noir is how I've been able to survive this long." He gazed into the fire thoughtfully. "In fact, I barely remember what it's like to be Adrien – just a playful son who would rather tend to an apple orchard with his mother than tend to his studies."

Unconsciously, Marinette thought about her parents, King Thomas and Queen Sabine, and her sister Bridgette. She could scarcely imagine not having them in her life. _But isn't that what will happen once I marry Theo?_ Marinette would be in Bourgeois, and her family would be all the way across the realm in Dupain-Cheng. _I'll be an entire world away... in a new life._

Since they didn't have any bedrolls, the companions carved fresh, flat patches of dirt next to the fire and laid their sacks as makeshift pillows. Marinette wanted nothing more than to sleep off the dangers of the day, but she couldn't stop glancing over at Cat Noir. He was sitting not far from her, legs crossed and hands in his lap as he continued staring into the mesmerizing flames.

"Cat..." Marinette spoke after a while, "Tell me about your mother."

The thief seemed to perk up at that, his eyes alit with surprise.

"I mean... Is she a lot like you?" Marinette quickly added.

Cat Noir blinked at her before smiling warmly. "I think you're the first person who's ever asked me that, my lady." He sat up straight and leaned back on his palms. "Actually, she's everything I wish I could be: kind, compassionate, protective, hopeful..." His grin shrank and his eyes lost their luster as he went on, "Whenever I needed someone, she was always there. And then, one day... she wasn't."

Marinette figured why: the day Queen Vivienne was cursed. "What about your father?" she asked, hugging her knees to her chest. "You never mentioned him earlier."

Cat Noir snorted and looked away. "There's nothing to mention," he said darkly. "He died a long time ago."

"I'm sorry."

"Why? It's not your fault – it's _his_."

Marinette's mouth fell open.

When Cat Noir looked at her again, his eyes bore years of hurt. "My father was a man who believed that duty was more important than anything else," he explained. "Ironically, that's what got him killed in the end; slain by the same monster who took his throne and married his wife."

Marinette frowned at him, puzzled. _But didn't he say earlier...? Oh!_ A hand flew to her mouth. "Hawkmoth..." she breathed. "He's your stepfather?"

Cat Noir nodded. "My mother wasn't the only person he fooled," he said sullenly. "I saw someone who could be the father I never had. I trusted him, and he used that to his advantage. By the time I realized who he really was, it was too late." The thief hung his head down, his eyes closed tight. "Maybe... Maybe if I had figured it out sooner," he murmured, swallowing hard as though trying to hold back a sob. "If I hadn't been so naïve... my mother might still be here."

Before she knew it, Marinette reached over and grasped his hand. "Don't say that," she implored with a tone that reminded her of her mother – gentle as silk but hard as a chainmail.

Cat Noir inhaled sharply at her touch, his glossy eyes back on her.

"You can't blame yourself for trying to see the good in someone," the princess stated, "even if they've never had a shred of goodness in them to begin with. That doesn't mean you're naïve or weak – it means you have a strong heart." She gave him an astonished look. "You took on _five_ bloodthirsty soldiers _twice_ your size just to stop them from getting to me – a _stranger_."

Cat Noir's mouth parted, but no sound came out.

"You said you wanted to be just like your mother," Marinette said with a warm smile. "Based on what I've seen today, I think you have more of her in you than you let yourself believe."

Cat Noir smiled back at her and quickly wiped his eyes. Then he gave her hand a soft squeeze. "Thanks, my lady," he said in his casual voice again. "That... means a lot to me."

Marinette blushed and shrugged. She let go of his hand – despite how soft and strong his fingers were – and she went to lie down in her spot with her back to the flames.

She heard the sound of a body sliding along the ground, and then Cat Noir sighed from his makeshift bed, "I take back what I said earlier. That prince of yours sure is lucky to have someone like you."

Marinette felt her chest cave in on itself, and her throat bobbed.

 _Then why are you marrying him?_

 _Why do you care?_

The princess hadn't wanted to divulge such personal information to a boy she hardly knew. But now, after everything that happened, after everything Cat Noir told her... it felt more like talking to a friend. _I could never keep a secret from a friend._

"Prince Theo's father is bankrupt," Marinette said into the darkness.

She heard a shuffling from behind her, which meant Cat Noir was still awake.

So Marinette told him: "King Andre needs the lands and wealth of Dupain-Cheng to restore Bourgeois to all its glory. And my parents need his troops to help defend our borders. So... marrying Theo is the only way to make both our kingdoms happy."

A short pause, and then Cat Noir asked her, "Do you think, given time, you could come to love him?"

Marinette just lay there on her side, thinking. Theo _was_ handsome, and he _was_ dutiful. _So was Cat Noir's father_.

"I don't know," Marinette finally answered. "My own parents are together because they fell in love – the whole union between their two kingdoms was just an added bonus." She sighed and picked up a twig she found beside her, imagining it as an arrow. "I've spent my entire life thinking I'd one day have what they have: true love. Now, I feel like I'm being bought and paid for by Bourgeois, not to mention I'm getting a _wonderful_ sister-in-law in the package." Marinette didn't bother to hide her exaggeration.

She could feel Cat Noir's eyes on her. "Why don't you say something?" He asked her as though he believed she had a choice. "Surely your parents would take your own feelings into account."

"They do," Marinette insisted. "Believe me; they would have waited until I was thirty before marrying me off. Even my older sister kept telling me to wait until I've found the "right guy", whatever _that_ means. It's just..." She groaned and crushed the twig between in her fingers. "There's King Andre's daughter, Chloe."

"The _wonderful_ sister-in-law?" Cat Noir guessed.

"She has her father wrapped around her little finger," Marinette grumbled, already picturing Chloe making a haughty complaint with that diamond-white smile of hers. "She's actually the one who suggested the marriage between me and her brother. Take it from me; Chloe is not an easy person to stand up to. Bourgeois's coffers may be empty, but their soldiers are well-trained. All Chloe has to do is lift her finger, and her men will go to war for her."

Another sound of clothing scraping against dirt – this time more deliberate. Marinette finally rolled over to see Cat Noir leaning up on his elbows, gazing at her dubiously.

"Let me get this straight," the thief said, waving his hand in the air as he spoke. "You're willing to tie your hands back... just so some other princess doesn't throw a temper tantrum?" His eyebrows narrowed and he made a noise that sounded like a snore and a cough. "What kind of arrangement is _that_?" he asked.

Despite her initial surprise at how exasperated he was, Marinette stared impassively into the fire pit. "It's like you said: it's just a ceremonial business transaction," she replied. Then she let out a soft chuckle. "And here I am avoiding the whole thing – wandering the wilderness with a wanted thief, defying death and danger, all while trying to get a silly ring back." She glanced back over at Cat Noir. "Doesn't that sound selfish to you?"

"Hmm..." Cat Noir looked away as he hummed to himself, his brows furrowed.

Marinette moaned and she rolled onto her back, throwing her arm over her eyes. _Great. Now he thinks I'm shallow AND subservient._

She almost didn't hear Cat Noir say, "You could have let those Akumas cut my heart out."

Marinette lifted her arm and eyed him confusedly.

Cat Noir appeared to be smiling at the flames. "You could have left me to drown in the river," he said. "You had every logical reason not to trust me; every instinct telling you to avoid risking your own neck for a fugitive. But you know something, Ladybug?" The thief now looked directly at her, baring the most thoughtful look she had ever seen. "You saved me anyway." He retained that proud grin as he flipped onto his back and added, "I'd hardly call that selfish."

Marinette continued to stare at him in wonder. Even after she finally drifted off, Cat Noir's words echoed in her hazy dreams.

And in all that time, that hollow feeling in her heart slowly began to stitch itself together.

* * *

The mirror was toying with him again.

Lord Hawkmoth growled with displeasure, glaring at the inky blackness clogging up the glass surface.

The swirling cloud did nothing but cast the king's reflection back at him: a face concealed entirely by a mask of dark silver, eyes as hard and pale as ice, and angry lines forming at the corners of his mouth. A circlet of black amethyst sat on his head, giving his daunting face a more regal look.

The magic within the mirror showed only the truth, but for once the Sorcerer King wished that what he had just seen had not been real.

The boy had just been lying there by the fire pit, a sleepy smile on that smug little face of his, like he had no fear of being jumped and gutted in his sleep.

And that girl in the ludicrous red cloak... How in the blazes did a painted doll like that – a mere _child_ – cut down some of his finest soldiers like a proficient assassin?

Sadly, the mirror could not give the king an answer. That was the problem with farseeing magic: it showed the _who_ , _what_ , _when_ , and _where_... but never the _why_.

Hawkmoth curled his aged, talon-like fingers over the amethyst brooch at his naval, letting its vibrant powers sooth him.

If only this accursed mirror could show him what he _really_ wanted to see: the prince's cold, un-beating heart delivered to him in a special box.

 _If only I didn't have to rely on my men to get the job done_ , the king thought cynically. _Maybe then the boy would already be dead._ He gazed heavenward. _Curse you, Gabriel, for denying me the pleasure of ridding the world of your annoying spawn._

Metal footsteps clanged on the marble floor behind him. Someone was coming.

The king did not turn as the Akuma Guard addressed him, "My master."

"You're trembling, soldier," Hawkmoth said in a deep but raspy voice. He closed his eyes and allowed his magically-enhanced senses to expand to the man behind him. He heard the soldier's shivering breaths; felt him fidgeting with his fingers as he bent down on one knee; smelled the blood pumping rapidly through his veins.

"Is that failure I feel pulsing in your chest?" Hawkmoth asked darkly. "Have you come to take credit for your incompetence?"

"We caught the boy, my master," the Akuma blubbered. "He was at our mercy... but he had an accomplice – a girl!"

Hawkmoth twisted towards him, his long silver cloak rippling across the floor. In the grim light of the torches and the evening sky from the open balcony, the shadows on his silvery face appeared fuller and made him less human.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" the Sorcerer King spat. "You blundering fool! I ordered you to bring me Prince Adrien's heart – one puny insignificant heart – and instead, you bring me nothing but pathetic excuses!"

The man trembled in the wake of his master's fury, his knees shaking so bad the armour kept tapping on the floor.

Hawkmoth exhaled through his teeth. _My mighty Akuma Guards, outwitted by two children_. That reminded him. "The girl... Is she from Bourgeois?"

The Akuma shook his head. "I don't believe so, my master. She wore the garb of a huntress, but she fought the others with an unusual technique – possibly a combination of Cheng martial arts and Dupain swordsmanship."

"Where is the rest of your squad, soldier?" Hawkmoth enquired.

"They're dead, my master," the soldier replied. "The girl shot my captain and then killed the other three with a knife before escaping with the boy. I barely escaped myself."

"How unfortunate..." Hawkmoth stepped towards the guard until he towered over him like a demon. "To be the sole survivor of such a terrible attack." He beckoned him upward, and the Akuma immediately sprang to attention. The king displayed a sympathetic pout. "Doesn't it just break your heart?"

One quick thrust with his bare hand, and the soldier's heart was in his grasp, glowing bright red and beating inconsistently.

The Akuma's eyes widened as Hawkmoth lifted up the little heart and squeezed.

It cracked beneath his fingers, shrinking into his palm. All the while, the soldier doubled over in agony, clutching his chest as though trying to smother out a fire.

 _This used to be more entertaining_ , Hawkmoth thought coldly as he reduced the last pieces of the heart to ash.

The soldier jerked one last time, and then he fell upon the floor. Dead.

Wiping his hands clean, Hawkmoth called for his personal guard to take out the trash. Then he strode back to his magic mirror.

"Show me the girl again," he commanded.

The ink cloud rippled and pulled away, revealing the prince's companion asleep on her back. Other than being speckled with dirt and sweat, the skin on her face was absolutely flawless. Even in sleep, she looked fit and ready for battle; a delicate flower with several thorns ready to prick anything that threatened to pluck her.

Hawkmoth hadn't seen such beauty since... well, since Queen Vivienne, obviously. He thought about the prince's mother slumbering away in the high tower of his castle, unhindered by time thanks to his curse.

Now Hawkmoth imagined this young girl immortalized in a crystal case. Still, the ladybug cloak puzzled him. "It seems my wayward stepson isn't the only one with a taste for theatrics," the king mused with a wicked grin. "But who is she really, and what interest is the prince to her?"

Whatever the reason, he had to stop this girl before she caused any more damage. Of that, Hawkmoth was absolutely certain.


	5. 1:5: A Rock and a Hard Place

**MB: Just so you guys are aware, I re-edited Hawkmoth's appearance in the previous chapter, so now he's more Hawkmoth and less Gabriel. Now you won't be confused whenever the guy returns to the story wearing a mask all of a sudden.**

 **One more chapter after this for Part 1, and then it's on to Part 2 (which will have a ball!) Enjoy!**

* * *

 **PART 1:**

 _ **Chapter 5:**_

 _ **A Rock and a Hard Place**_

The next day was colder and wetter than the last. The sky was more white than grey, and there was a heaviness in the air that made the trees droop. There were no chirps to be heard, no squirrels or rabbits or even a deer to be seen. Silence fell over the wood like a cold blanket. To top that off, a thick mist obscured anything five feet away.

It was as though the forest had suddenly changed from "Enchanted" to "Haunted".

Marinette shivered as the mist seeped into her clothes and froze her skin. Mud clung to her boots everywhere she walked. Yet despite the miserable weather, she enjoyed watching the green leaves glisten from the condensation.

Cat Noir seemed more on edge than her. His eyes kept scanning their surroundings, as though knowing something was out there and praying there wasn't. "Be on your guard," he whispered to Marinette. "This place has seen dark magic."

"Is that your cat sense talking?" the princess asked. After what happened yesterday, she now found it more assuring to have a danger-detector for a partner.

The thief smiled nervously. "Not exactly. The mountains hold many secrets, most of which even _I_ don't know." He stared down the pathway with narrowed eyes, his heavy breathing clear to see in the frigid air. "The bridge is the only way to them... and the guardian is sworn to keep out all intruders."

Marinette cocked a lazy eyebrow at him. "And you thought it was a good idea to give _my purse_ to him?" she asked.

Cat Noir shot her an apologetic glance. "Those mountains are where I found the shrine of the golden queen," he explained, patting the vial of fairy dust around his neck. "Your purse was the only thing I could offer in exchange for passage." A tinge of guilt appeared in his eyes. "I really am sorry about that, by the way."

Marinette sighed, pulling her hood further down to keep her ears warm. She knew if she would have done the same thing if she had been in Cat Noir's shoes – on the run and desperate to save someone he loved. "I don't blame you," she said, giving him a reassuring smile. "Let's just focus on getting my ring _back_ , okay?"

"With pleasure, my lady," the thief replied staunchly. "Oh, and just a head's up..." He stopped and placed a hand on her shoulder, his eyes returning to their vigilant demeanour. "The guardian is quite the hot-head. Try not to intimate or insult him, or he'll throw us both in the chasm. And whatever you do, try not to appear too desperate. If he learns that ring is special to you, he'll keep it and just throw us in the chasm anyway."

"Charming," Marinette grumbled, but she nodded her assurances.

They walked on, both remaining on high alert, until the pathway began to open up more. The trees spread out to the sides, revealing a wide wall of fog. In the centre of that wall stood a massive stone archway, adorned with cracks and dead vines. The top of the arch had broken off, leaving crumbled stones on the ground, and one of the two gargoyles standing guard was missing its head. The other held a barren torch, as though waiting impatiently for it to be lit.

"There it is," Cat Noir said with a shudder.

Marinette almost didn't want to take another step. But she pressed her lips together and waddled onward.

The moment the pair approached the archway, the empty torch in the gargoyle's hand roared to life, sending a blistering wave of heat their way. Marinette gasped and staggered back, unconsciously reaching for Cat Noir's arm. When she realized who was holding onto, she looked to see the thief giving her a flirtatious smirk.

"I can hold your hand if you want," he offered.

The princess flushed and whisked her hand away. "In your dreams, Kittycat," she said before stomping past him onto the cobblestone walkway.

"Huh... that's a new one," Cat Noir mused as he followed her.

Marinette rolled her eyes.

The fog pulled away from them as they approached the centre of the bridge. The whole thing was massive – possibly wide enough to fit two carriages side-to-side. It didn't go very far, Marinette realized, because the stones ended right in the middle. The rest of the bridge was nothing but rotten wooden beams that shouldn't even be standing. Looking over the ledge, Marinette caught her breath as she beheld a huge chasm leading hundreds of feet down into a sliver of water and sharp rocks. It was as though the ground had been ripped in half.

Another stone archway, missing an entire half, lay beyond the planks. But instead of a gargoyle, there was a statue of a human girl with bushy, curly hair. Her arms were raised above her head as though trying to shield herself from something. Her open, empty eyes were wide with shock and fear.

Marinette stood on the edge of the cobblestone section, staring over the expanse at the frozen girl. For a brief moment, the princess swore she could feel something emitting from that statue: a cascade of misery and pain. The air prickled around her, and Marinette rubbed her arms.

"You were right," she said to Cat Noir, who was peering over the shoulder-high wall as though looking for something. "This place feels so... wrong."

The thief snapped back up to her. "You can tell?" he asked.

"It's like..." Marinette struggled to find the right words. "It's like something _sad_ happened here. Something... heart-breaking." She turned towards her partner. "What do _you_ feel?"

Cat Noir shrugged. "Anger, mostly," he replied. "A lot of anger and self-loathing."

Marinette's eyes drifted off in thought. "It's the guardian, isn't it?"

A loud grumbling sound, like fallen rocks, answered her question.

Cat Noir beckoned Marinette away from the centre. Once she was back beside him, he called out calmly, "Hello?"

His voice echoed throughout the chasm. _Hello, hello, hello..._

When nothing happened, the thief spoke again, "I know you're here. Why don't you come out and save us all the trouble?"

Suddenly, a large hand – a hand made entirely of black rock – burst over the broken ledge, making Marinette cry out.

The hand grabbed onto the cobblestones, cracking them beneath its broad fingers. Then another hand appeared and did the same.

Then... a face.

Marinette felt her insides turn to water as she stared into the glowing yellow eyes of a giant crawling up onto the bridge. It looked like several boulders stacked on top of each other, forming a huge body, massive arms and fists, and bone-crushing stumps for feet. The monster towered over the two companions, as though they were nothing but mere dolls to it. It slammed his fists on the ground, making Marinette and Cat Noir cringe, and the thing leaned closer to them, its rocky eyebrows scrapping together so hard that dust fell from them.

The princess gulped, glancing sideways at her partner.

" _Cat Noir_ ," the rock giant boomed.

The thief gave him a boy-scout salute. "Stoneheart," he called. "It's been a while. You look great by the way. Did you lose a few boulders?"

The guardian growled at him, making the entire bridge tremble.

Cat Noir chuckled and raised his hands. "Sorry, I forgot." He leaned over to Marinette and whispered, "He's touchy about the weight thing."

The princess glared at him. "What was that you said about not pissing him off?" she said through gritted teeth. _Complete idiot._

Stoneheart stopped Cat Noir from responding. "Our business was concluded," he told the boy harshly. " _Get out_." The ground beneath his fists cracked.

"Love to, Stony," Cat Noir said with his hands still raised, "but you see... there's been a teensy-weensy misunderstanding." He inched his thumb and forefinger together. "You know that pouch with the jewels I so kindly lent to you? Well, it wasn't mine – it was hers."

He nudged his head towards Marinette, who quickly bore a wide, over-exaggerated grin and waved. "Uh... h-hey there!" she squeaked.

Stoneheart angled his head at the princess, his glowing eyes appearing to widen at the sight of her. "Who is she?" he asked in a softer tone (well, as soft as rock giants could go). "She's different."

"She's with me," Cat Noir assured before stepping closer to the guardian. "Look, I'd rather not bore you with all the nasty little details, so how about this? You give me the pouch back, and I'll give you all this gold I have."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a heavy leather bag, jiggling with coins. Cat Noir had stolen – or, as he had put it, _rightfully retrieved_ – the gold from the bodies of the Akuma Guards he and Marinette had searched the previous night. The princess had not been proud of it, but considering how those men had tried to kill them, she didn't complain.

"A king's pay with a little extra on the side," Cat Noir told Stoneheart. "Pretty fair trade, wouldn't you say?"

"Hmm..." the guardian's voice grumbled like two rocks rubbing together as he contemplated the thief's offer. Finally, he straightened up and stated, "I will give you the pouch..."

Cat Noir let out a relived sigh and smiled. "That's great. I..."

"...but not for the gold," Stoneheart cut in sharply. "For the _girl_."

The thief's face fell.

Marinette went rigid. "Excuse me?" she asked defensively.

She could feel the guardian's gaze crushing down on her. "I see her heart," he murmured absent-mindedly. "The fairest I have seen in a long time; almost as fair as my Mylene." Stoneheart looked behind him at the statue of the woman on the archway. Then he turned back to the companions. "I need a servant to cater to my every command... and to keep me company. Tell me, child..." He now spoke directly to Marinette. "Can you sing and play music?"

 _He's insane_ , Marinette thought as she backed away. _There's no way I'm going to be some overgrown gnome's entertainer!_

Luckily, Cat Noir was on her side. He boldly stepped in front of the princess and lifted his chin high. "She's nobody's servant," he declared.

Stoneheart growled again, this time more angrily than before.

Cat Noir cleared his throat and lifted his hands in surrender again. "Come on, Stony," he implored calmly. "Have I ever been anything but fair? The gold for the ring – that's all I ask."

Marinette held her breath as Stoneheart hummed to himself again, never taking his eyes off the princess. She kept her face expressionless, but she made sure the message in her eyes was clear: _I'm not for sale._

Then, Stoneheart lifted one of his fists towards them. Marinette thought for sure she and Cat Noir were going to be squashed like cockroaches, but then the guardian opened up his massive hand.

The princess gasped. Sitting there in the giant's palm was her brown leather pouch, the royal crest of Dupain-Cheng engraved proudly on the front.

Marinette reached over to pick it up. "Thank you," she said with reprieve. "We really appreci-"

Suddenly, Stoneheart's fingers closed around Marinette's arm and he yanked her forward.

"Ah!" the princess cried, more out of fear than the pain shooting through her socket.

"Hey!" Cat Noir spat, reaching out to her. "That's not necessary!"

Marinette tried to wrench herself free, but then Stoneheart shoved his face close to hers, sniffing at her like a bloodhound. She cringed, beads of sweat forming at her temples.

Then, to her horror, the guardian's voice rose, "You smell like a royal!"

Marinette screamed as the monster lifted her up into the air by her arm, dangling her off to the side. Her feet bobbed along the top of the bridge wall, and she thrashed out in terror.

"Ladybug!" Cat Noir cried, his eyes wide with terror of their own.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" Stoneheart bellowed, making Marinette squirm. The giant glared down at Cat Noir, who already had his staff in his hands. "WHO SENT YOU?!"

"Let her go!" the thief shouted again, charging forward and swiping at the giant's legs. Metal clanged on stone, but he made no mark or dent.

Marinette gasped as Stoneheart kicked the boy aside, sending him crashing into the other wall. Cat Noir lay there on the stones, groaning.

"Stop!" Marinette pleaded. "Nobody knows we're here – it's just us!"

As she continued to struggle, her pack, quiver, and bow slid off her shoulder and fell onto the cobblestones. Several items spilled from the loosened top of the bag... including a piece of parchment that unfolded once it caught in the breeze.

Stoneheart paused and looked curiously at the poster. Then he picked it up and analyzed the hand-drawn picture and the words below it. Marinette prayed that the guardian couldn't read.

Apparently, he could, because Stoneheart was grinning cruelly. "Well, well, well..." he said as he glanced between Cat Noir and the poster. "Prince Adrien, is it?"

The thief had already crawled up onto one knee, panting heavily. But as soon as he heard his true name, his eyes snapped up to meet the guardian's.

Marinette moaned. An idiot could match Cat Noir's brilliant green eyes to the prince's.

Stoneheart let out a thunderous laugh. "What a stroke of luck!" he exclaimed. "I hand you over to Hawkmoth, and I'll finally get my reward!"

Cat Noir gave him an incredulous glare. "I've offered you all of _my_ gold!" he argued. "Is that not enough?"

"I don't care about gold or jewels!" Stoneheart yelled, waving Marinette around as he did so. "I once had the most precious jewel of all: my darling Mylene!" He pointed with his free hand to the statue of the girl.

It now occurred to Marinette that maybe Stoneheart wasn't as crazy as she believed. She remembered that funny feeling she got when looking at the stone woman; that overwhelming sadness. "Mylene... She was real?" the princess asked, ignoring the numbness in her arm.

Stoneheart's anger subsided and he nodded sadly. "She was," he said. "We were going to live together in the mountains. But Hawkmoth found us – he cursed us! He turned us both to stone, but made it so that only _I_ would live." The guardian's face contorted with grief and rage. "For too long I have watched over Mylene, unable to hear her voice, see her smile, or feel her touch."

He crushed the poster in his fist and turned back to Cat Noir, whose face had gone white with shock. "But now I have the one person Hawkmoth wants," Stoneheart declared. "With you as my hostage, I will bargain for my curse to be broken. I will finally set Mylene free!"

Cat Noir shook his head slowly as he rose to his feet. "That may sound like a fair deal to you, but Hawkmoth won't honour it," he said with firm absolution. "Everything that wizard does is to spread pain and despair. He'll make empty promises and then he'll use you and betray you, just like he did my mother."

"SHUT UP!" Stoneheart roared. "You know nothing of pain... but you will!"

He tried to stomp on Cat Noir again, but the thief leapt out of the way and slid right underneath the rock giant.

Then something strange happened. As Stoneheart's foot came up and then down, Marinette noticed some of the rocks stretching apart, exposing a black vein in his leg. Could that be a weak spot?

Stoneheart turned around just as Cat Noir flipped onto his arm and tried to pry open the hand holding Marinette with his staff. The guardian growled and began shaking his hand up and down. Both Marinette and Cat Noir's voices shook, "Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh!" until the latter's staff slid out of the giant's flinging fist, sending Cat Noir flying. He crashed onto his back and shook his head from the dizziness.

But when the thief opened his eyes again, he gasped when he saw Stoneheart's stump of a foot lift up over his body. The giant pressed down slowly on the boy, squishing him against the ground. Cat Noir cried out and tried to lift the foot off him, but it was no use.

"No!" Marinette cried, kicking out in mid-air as though that would help. "Stoneheart, stop! Listen to me!"

The giant glanced at her confusedly. Down below, Cat Noir winced from the weight of the giant's foot, but at least it had stopped crushing him.

Marinette sighed and fixed a heartfelt look at Stoneheart. "I can't imagine what it must feel like for you," she said. "To be torn apart from the person you love; to see her everyday and never be able to reach them."

While she kept the guardian's eyes on her, Marinette used her free hand to signal silently to Cat Noir, pointing at the weak spot in Stoneheart's foot and hoping her partner would notice.

"What happened to you was cruel and unforgiveable, Stoneheart," Marinette carried on, her voice softening. "But if Mylene could see you now, if she could speak to you..." She beckoned to the statue, "Do you really believe she would want you to sacrifice another person's life for hers?"

Stoneheart looked back at his petrified beloved. His eyes became ovular and glossy, as though he would shed tears.

Then Cat Noir jabbed the end of his staff into the exposed vein in his leg.

" _Gaaaaahh_!" Stoneheart roared and stumbled back, causing him to lift off of Cat Noir and drop Marinette at the same time.

The princess landed gracefully on the stones, sighing from the releasing pressure in her arm. Then she scrambled forward to pick up her bow and quiver while Cat Noir quickly gathered everything else into her pack.

Then a jolt of realization struck Marinette. "My pouch...!"

"Don't worry – I've got it," Cat Noir assured her as he snapped to his feet. "Follow me!" He turned sharply and raced back the way they came.

"I'm right behind you!" Marinette called with a grin.

Adrenaline fueled her speed as she ran behind her partner. It almost made her laugh.

That is, until something small and hard struck her between her shoulder blades. Marinette plummeted to the ground with a hard _THUD!_

Hissing from the pain in her back, the princess looked up to see Cat Noir racing off the bridge and back into the Enchanted Forest. She opened her mouth to shout at him to wait...

Then the ground shook beneath her. _BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_

Pupils shrinking, Marinette looked over her shoulder to see Stoneheart looming over her.

"Deceiver," the guardian growled. "You can have the ring back... _in exchange for your life_!"

Marinette shrieked and scrambled forward just before Stoneheart's angry fist came crashing down. Dust and rocks flew everywhere, and a small crater now lay etched in the ground.

Heart pounding, Marinette lifted her bow, nocked an arrow, and fired at the giant's head.

The arrow banged against his brow and snapped like a twig.

Marinette stiffened. What make her thing _that_ was a good idea?

* * *

Meanwhile, a cocky Cat Noir ran into the safety of the trees, chuckling with smugness.

"He'll never find us in here," he said as he looked back to his partner. "I know this forest like the back of my –"

Cat Noir paused and ground to a halt. He was all alone.

"Ladybug?" he called out fearfully. Where could she have gone?

A female shriek answered his question.

The thief looked back down the trail to where the bridge was. But the entire thing was shrouded by the wall of mist. He couldn't see anyone... but he could hear the nerve-racking sounds of stone slamming upon stone.

He knew she was there – the girl who had saved his life.

But what chance did _he_ have of saving _her_? Stoneheart was indestructible, and Cat Noir was certain the guardian wouldn't be fooled by the same trick twice.

That left only one option.

Cat Noir seemingly placed a hand over his heart. He didn't want to do this... but there was no other way.

* * *

The guardian chuckled wickedly at the cowering princess. "Did you really believe you could defeat me, She-Human of Royal Blood?" he asked.

Marinette knew there was only one thing to do now. She turned and sprinted down the bridge as fast as she could. But she barely got past the archway before a bone-crushing hand of rock snatched her up by her middle.

The princess screamed as Stoneheart tossed her towards the other side of the bridge. She rolled into a painful ball until she crashed along the wooden beams. One of the rotting boards she landed on snapped under her weight and gave away... exposing her to the great chasm below.

Thinking quickly, Marinette stretched out her fingers like claws until they latched onto one of the steadier beams. She clung onto it for dear life, dangling precariously over the expanse. A harsh wind blew past her, causing her hair and red cloak to billow off to the side.

Breathing heavily, Marinette clenched her teeth and tried to heave herself up onto the board. It was a slow, painful effort – so much that she wanted to let go just to end it all – but the princess forced her strained muscles to keep going. Groaning out loud, Marinette finally came up onto her elbows and rested on the board, dizzy and disoriented.

 _Have to... keep... going... Such a... long... drop..._

Then the board was shaking, and then she was shaking. Was she suffering from a concussion?

She blinked and gazed back up to the stone edge of the bridge. But instead she saw Stoneheart's hulking form before her.

Snapping back to reality, Marinette gasped and stared into the face of the angry guardian. There was no escape now. Whatever happened next, the princess knew her death was imminent.

Stoneheart raised his fist above her, and Marinette shrank away, praying for it to be quick.

"Hey, Stone _head_!"

Marinette opened her eyes. _That voice_... Her heart surged with newfound hope.

She glanced behind Stoneheart to see Cat Noir standing not far away. His right hand was pouring something into his left; something that sparkled even though there was no sunlight...

Once he was finished and a fumigated Stoneheart turned towards him, Cat Noir's mouth curled up into a sneer. "You still want to cash in on that bounty?" he asked the guardian coaxingly. "Then come and get it, you overweight gargoyle!"

Stoneheart pounded his chest with his fists. "I will crush you, Cat Noir, and deliver your bones to Hawkmoth in a casket!" he bellowed.

Marinette watched with both awe and horror as the guardian charged at the thief.

Cat Noir stood absolutely still in the centre of the bridge, undaunted by the rampaging mound of certain death coming towards him.

"Cat, what are you doing?!" Marinette cried.

"Something _completely_ unselfish!" the thief called back.

And just as Stoneheart reached out to crush him between his mighty hands...

Cat Noir raised his clenched fist and flung its contents into the guardian's face just before he sidestepped out of the way.

A cloud of golden mist exploded around Stoneheart's head, causing him to come to a stumbling stop. Rays of rainbow light blew out in fiery wisps, seeping into the guardian's nose, mouth, eyes, arms, and chest.

Marinette knew there was only one thing capable of such a feat: Cat Noir's fairy dust!

Stoneheart gasped and looked at his shaking hands, which began to shoot out beams of red, green, and blue light. "What...?!" he breathed, before glancing over himself with eyes as wide as marbles. "What... have... you... done... to me?!" He arched his back and screamed up at the sky. All the while, his entire body started to glow from the inside.

Suddenly, the entire bridge shook violently, causing several rocks and wooden beams to break off and fall into the chasm.

Marinette felt the wooden board beneath her creak and jerk. She cried out and desperately tried to pull herself up further, but the rest of the wood holding the board in place broke off, causing the princess to slip right off and hang from the edge of the wobbly wood.

"No..." Tears spilled from her eyes as her agonizing fingers threatened to disobey her and let go. "No, no, no, no NO!"

Her gloves finally lost their traction, and then she was falling.

And then... she wasn't.

A black-gloved hand grasped her wrist firmly, holding her suspended above the trench.

Through her watery, wind-blinded vision, Marinette saw hair of dishevelled yet glistening gold, and eyes of relieved yet unwavering green.

Cat Noir smiled through clenched teeth as he held onto her. "I've got you, my lady!" he called down.

Marinette could barely breathe, but she smiled and clasped onto that hand with all her might. No way was she letting go now.

As the thief hoisted her back up, several more parts of the bridge collapsed, leaving wide gauges in the cobblestones.

Cat Noir scooped Marinette into his arms. "Hang on," he told her as he sped back down the stone half of the bridge. "This is going to be close!"

The princess didn't hesitate to throw her arms around his neck as he carried her across, dodging exposed holes or otherwise leaping over them.

Glancing back, Marinette saw that Stoneheart was obscured entirely from view by the rainbow light, leaving nothing but a giant glowing star. Tendrils of wind and dust swirled around it like a twister.

Just as Cat Noir's feet touched forest earth, there was a blinding flash of light and an explosion of wind, rocks, and dirt.

Marinette felt herself flying forward onto the ground, her partner rolling with her.

And then everything was silent and still.

* * *

Marinette couldn't tell how long she had kept her eyes closed. Seconds? Minutes? Hours?

But when she finally opened them, she was met with a familiar face.

"Are you all right, Ladybug?" Cat Noir asked, gently sliding his arms off her as he sat up.

The air suddenly became warm. The princess lifted herself up – her weak arms sagging to the ground – and affixed her partner with a look of contemplation. "You came back," she said, her voice hoarse from screaming. "You saved me..."

Cat Noir smiled tenderly – no trace of arrogance or pride to be seen. "It seemed like the right thing to do," he said.

Marinette blinked... and then grinned. _I guess we're even now_ , she thought. She opened her mouth to say "thank you", but then her voice got stuck when she finally took note of her surroundings.

The air _was_ warmer, and it smelled sweeter – like flowers and fresh earth. The eerie mist and cloudy sky had vanished, bathing the forest in early autumn sunlight. Marinette could even hear the cheerful singing of birds in the trees.

But the biggest surprise of all was the bridge. The archways were gone, and the entire thing now consisted completely of cobblestones, soft dirt, and fallen leaves. Thin layers of moss and weeds adorned the walls like decorations in a fairy garden. It all seemed more open, welcoming even.

Marinette and Cat Noir stood and carefully moved back onto the bridge, their eyes alit with admiration.

The thief whistled. "Definitely less drab and dismal... and evil-looking," he mused.

"Not just that," Marinette said awe-struck. "It _feels_ better, like a sickness is fading away." Something in the centre of the bridge made her jump and she pointed. "Oh – look!"

Two hunched figures lay kneeling on the stones – a man and a woman, both dressed in peasant smock. The man was large and bulky, with short black hair and a tuft of blond above his forehead. He had the look and feel of a tinkerer or a blacksmith. The woman, possibly a florist or gardener, was short and chubby with blonde hair tied up in various braids. As they both slowly regained their senses, the man opened his eyes, revealing gentle pools of grey bearing a sense of shock and relief – like he had just endured years of pain and suffering.

Marinette knew that look.

And Cat Noir did too. "Is that... or, _was_ that... Stoneheart?" he asked, cocking his head in disbelief.

A hand flew to Marinette's face as a revelation dawned. "Of course," she breathed. "Fairy dust can break any evil curse." Her bluebell eyes flew to the woman. "That must mean that _she's_..."

The woman blinked up at the man, her eyes a gooey golden brown, like warm caramel. The moment she saw his face, her own lit up with pure affection.

The man wasn't too far behind. "Mylene...?" he whispered, his voice shaking.

She smiled at him and touched his cheek. "Ivan," she said softly.

Marinette and Cat Noir exchanged a puzzled glance. " _Ivan_?!" they said in unison, both knowing that such a name clearly did not befit a ruthless, giant rock monster.

Ivan didn't appear to notice their reaction, because then he burst into tears and embraced his long-lost beloved. "Oh, Mylene!" he sobbed.

Mylene held him tightly, rocking him back and forth. "Shh, it's all right, sweetheart," she cooed. "I'm here. We're both here."

Marinette felt like she wanted to start crying herself. She smiled at the sight of the two reunited lovebirds.

"I'm so sorry," Ivan said into Mylene's shoulder. "I'm sorry for everything."

"That wasn't you, Ivan," Mylene affirmed, pulling away so she could look him firmly in the eye. "Hawkmoth is the one to blame for our suffering." She smiled again and kissed his forehead. "But it's over now. It was just a nightmare."

Ivan gave her a glossy-eyed chuckle and kissed her back, this time on the lips.

"Aw," Marinette squealed, placing her hands over her heart. "It's like they were made for each other."

"Yeah..." Cat Noir agreed absent-mindedly from beside her.

Marinette turned to see the thief gazing at _her_ instead of Ivan and Mylene, his eyes thoughtful and benevolent. Then Cat Noir blinked with surprise and looked away, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

That's when the princess noticed the empty glass vial in his other hand, and she gasped. "Cat Noir, your fairy dust!" she exclaimed.

"Huh? Oh... right." The thief held the heart-shaped pendant up by its string. Even without the sparkling dust, it glistened beautifully in the sunlight. "I figured I would only get one shot," Cat Noir said solemnly, though he retained that tiny grin on his face.

Marinette's shoulders slumped with guilt. He had given up that precious bit of magic to save her... and he was _okay_ with that? "What about your mother?" she asked him hesitantly.

Cat Noir looked at her, and then back at the pendant. Then he shrugged and tossed the useless vial off to the side. It clattered against the stone wall.

"I'll think of something else," Cat Noir said, fixing a hopeful grin on the princess. "Besides, it's not like I wasted it."

Marinette felt butterflies bursting in her gut, and she huffed a tiny laugh. _Oh, come on, girl_ , she scolded herself, _anyone would have done the same_.

But a wanted thief wouldn't – especially one who was fighting to reclaim everything that had been taken from him. Yet _this_ boy – this exiled prince – risked what might have been his only chance to save his mother... just to help a girl he barely knew. Marinette suddenly felt as though her former animosity towards the boy who stole her ring had never existed.

"You didn't just save _me_ , Cat Noir," Marinette explained, turning back towards Ivan and Mylene. "You helped bring two tormented souls together again. I think... no, I'm absolutely certain your mother would be very proud of you."

Cat Noir face went a shade of rosy pink. He chuckled and glanced away. After a few seconds, he murmured one word to her: "Adrien."

"Hmm?" Marinette asked, turning back to him.

The thief shrugged and stammered, "I mean... you can call me Adrien... you know, if you want to. In fact... well, I'd prefer it."

The princess blinked at him and smiled. Then she surprised him further by extending a tiny fist to him. "Marinette," she said. "That's my real name, in case you were wondering."

Cat Noir – no, Prince Adrien – gave her sly grin and bumped her fist with his own. "I still like Ladybug better," he said with a wink.

And for the first time since she had signed her life away to Prince Theo, the princess of Dupain-Cheng let out an authentic, unmistakably-cheerful laugh.

* * *

But there was someone who did not find the situation the slightest bit amusing.

Hawkmoth ground his fingers into his palms as he shot a death-glare towards the image of the giggling red-cloaked girl and her sniggering princely companion.

So this girl – this "Ladybug" – was actually the youngest daughter of the wealthiest rulers in the realm? The Sorcerer King knew should be laughing – his stepson certainly had extraordinary taste in women.

Instead, his dark heart surged with fury at the loss of his guardian. Where in the world did Adrien acquire such powerful fairy dust? And why in the world would he waste it on some silly little girl, despite the fact she was a princess?

Why oh why was it becoming so infuriatingly difficult for Hawkmoth to kill one measly boy?!

"Ladybug, Cat Noir," the evil king growled into the magic mirror. "It doesn't matter what you call yourselves. Someday soon, you will both pay dearly for this atrocity!"

He held up his hand, and a blazing ball of flame erupted at his fingertips. At his throat, the amethyst brooch pulsed with magic, as though sensing its master's rage.

"And when you do," Hawkmoth continued, his masked face contorting with pure hatred towards the two teenagers. "I shall tear both your hearts out myself!"

With a ferocious yell, he flung the fireball at the closest thing he could find, which turned out to be one of his personal guards.

Luckily for him, the Akuma yelped and dove out of the way, causing the fireball to miss and hit the tapestry over the fireplace instead. The fabric burst into cinders in a heartbeat.

Sighing heavily through his teeth, Hawkmoth turned back to the mirror fully-composed and straightened his royal tunic as though nothing happened.

Despite this... _unfortunate coincidence_ , the Sorcerer King knew that as long as he did not waver, his stepson would meet his end soon enough.

 _And who knows?_ Hawkmoth thought with sadistic optimism as he took one last look at the alluring princess in the mirror. _Perhaps this "Ladybug" could prove to be quite useful._


	6. 1:6: Put a Ring on It

**PART 1:**

 _ **Chapter 6:**_

 _ **Put a Ring on It**_

The trip back to Bourgeois took almost an entire week on foot, longer still while trying to avoid prowling patrols of Akuma Guards. In addition, Adrien and Marinette felt compelled to escort Ivan and Mylene back to their village. It was the least they could do, considering what the two lovers had been through.

The group managed to reach the village on the third morning. Mylene offered Adrien a place to stay in her family's home, but the thief kindly refused. As long as his face appeared on every door, Adrien's presence endangered anyone harbouring or assisting him. Besides, he assured them he already had a safe place in mind, though he kept the details of which to himself.

After they made their farewells – and Ivan and Mylene once again showered them with their unconditional gratitude – Adrien and Marinette headed back out on their journey.

The days were spent walking through the Enchanted Forest, keeping their eyes peeled for Akumas or any other dangers. When night fell, they could camp out in a sheltered spot, eat and talk quietly around the fire, and sleep until sunrise.

While finding a place to rest on the fifth evening, the pair unexpectedly stumbled upon an encampment of armed Akumas. By that time, Marinette had learned a few new hand signals and lip-reading techniques from Adrien. They formulated a plan in silence while the guards drank and joked around the campfire, utterly unaware they were about to be robbed.

It took until mid-morning for them to wake up... only to find themselves in their underclothes, their hands and feet bound together. All of their gear, weapons and uniforms had been stacked in a jumbled pile, on top of which was a pinned note bearing a message: WE'RE ALWAYS WATCHING.

The two royal rogues were still bending over from laughter by the time they were long gone.

Adrien still couldn't believe the change he noticed in Marinette, watching her think and perform like a true outlaw. When he had first met her, the princess had rubbed off on Adrien as stiff, well-mannered, bossy and painfully sensitive. Now, after six days of traveling with her – talking and laughing and watching each other's backs as friends always did – Adrien saw Marinette in a new light: brave, creative, thoughtful of others, smart on her feet and confident in her choices – the virtues of a true leader. Adrien wondered dreamily: _Why can't every other princess be like her?_

That's when he realized he might actually be falling for this girl. He kept shrugging it off as just a mere fascination, but the closer they got to Bourgeois, the weirder and less cheerier it made Adrien feel. _Soon I'll have to say goodbye_ , he thought on the final night as he watched Marinette fall asleep. _Probably for... well, ever_.

The dreaded day came too soon.

The blinding sunlight reflecting off of the gold-rimmed towers and windows of Castle Bourgeois astounded Adrien. He and Marinette stood on top of a small hill which led down into the valley, where the entire castle and surrounding town sat like a glistening jewel on the edge of a beautiful lake.

"There it is," Marinette said with less enthusiasm than she went for. She turned to her partner. "What do you think?"

"Well, as far as castles go, that's the shiniest one I've ever seen!" Adrien exclaimed, shielding his eyes with his hand. "It's so bright you can't find your way down the hill!"

Marinette giggled. "You should see it from the _inside_ ," she joked. "It's actually quite dull: too much space and not a lot of windows."

Adrien turned so that his back was to the reflected light... and so he could look upon her without getting a crick his neck. "So that's going to be your new home now, huh?" he asked, his voice betraying that selfish need for her to say "no".

Marinette sighed and only nodded. Her blue eyes lost a bit of that sparkle Adrien had grown so accustomed to.

The thief swallowed hard and offered her a smile. "Well then... I sincerely hope you don't die of boredom in there," he said awkwardly. "It would kind of defeat the purpose of me saving your life."

The princess's face lit up with amusement, and her mouth curled upward. "Aw, and here I was thinking you actually cared about me," she taunted.

Adrien cocked his head to the side. "That too."

They both chuckled softly. But once they stopped, Adrien couldn't find anything else to say. It made him a little flustered, because usually he _always_ had something to say – good, bad or hilarious. _What is wrong with me?_

Thankfully, his lady disturbed the silence for him. "Where will you go?" she asked him considerately.

Adrien beckoned to the trees behind them. "Back to the forest," he replied. "I've got some friends hiding out somewhere who have no love for Hawkmoth and his Akumas either." He knew was long overdue for another visit. Maybe he'd actually stick around longer. The renegade prince's experience with Marinette left him with a desire to not be left alone anymore.

"And now that I'm fairy-dust-less," Adrien went on with a smirk, "I'll need to find something else to break my mother's curse." That part of the plan still gnawed at him. He almost lost an arm and a leg getting that dust, and he knew that the golden queen – as benevolent as she was – wouldn't be willing to part with more.

Marinette must have been reading the stress in his eyes, because then she looked down and said, "Sorry for upending your big rescue plans."

Adrien quickly changed his dismal expression to one of warm confidence. "Don't be. I'm not." He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and for a moment he thought he felt his fingers tingle a bit. "She would have wanted me to save you. She's... stubborn like that."

It was true. Queen Vivienne had always put other people's needs before her own, especially whenever her son was involved.

Marinette hummed. "Reminds me of someone I know," she mused at her partner.

A light shiver flowed down Adrien's spine, followed by a surge of warmth. Yes, he was definitely falling for this girl. He knew he shouldn't be (She was getting married, for the love of god!), but he didn't care.

Marinette looked away, blushing slightly. "So... umm, thanks for your help, Adrien," she said. She then reached into her pack and pulled out her leather pouch. "I don't think I could've gotten this back without you."

Adrien swept into a deep bow before her. "Think nothing of it, my lady," he said before giving her a sly grin. "I'm just grateful you decided not to sell me for a couple thousand gold pieces."

Marinette shook her head with snort. "I personally don't think you're worth that much."

"Yeah, you're right... It should have been _five_ thousand."

The princess raised her head to the sky and made a noise between a laugh and a groan. "You are such a scoundrel," she snapped playfully.

"Ooohhh..." Adrien purred. "That's _definitely_ a new one."

She laughed again, and he laughed with her. Damn, he was really going to miss this.

Marinette opened up her purse and pulled out a small, silver ring infused with a bright-green emerald on the band. It was far too big for her tiny little fingers, of course, so Adrien knew what it was right away.

"This was the ring my mother gave my father when they got married," Marinette explained while staring thoughtfully at the jewel. "I promised him that one day, I would give it to the boy I would fall in love with." Her face fell, and Adrien knew from that look that she had made that promise _before_ she had been forcefully engaged to Prince Theo.

Adrien tried not to appear disappointed. "I'm glad I decided not to keep it, then," he said.

Marinette smirked and held the ring out in front of him, as though comparing it to him. "I don't think it's your style anyway," she stated.

Adrien took that as a challenge and sneered. "Only one way to find out," he sang.

Before he could stop himself, the thief snatched the ring out of Marinette's fingers. She stared at him, jaw dropping, as he slipped it on his right hand and held it out on display. It _did_ fit him perfectly, and green _was_ his favourite colour...

Adrien glanced at Marinette, suddenly wishing he hadn't been so daring for once. But the moment their eyes met, the princess's expression melted from appalled to star-struck. A ghost of a smile appeared, and the snow-white skin on her cheeks turned a dusty shade of red.

Adrien's own cheeks heated up, but he couldn't take his eyes off of hers. He was utterly spellbound. His heart pounded furiously in his chest, and he almost forgot to breathe.

Finally, he shook his head and quickly pulled the ring off and extended it to her. "Yeah... um, you're right," he stuttered with a chuckle. "Not my style. But I'm sure your fiancé will love it."

Marinette took such a long time taking the ring back from him, her voice drifting off as she squeaked, "Thank you."

 _I should go now_ , Adrien thought, _before I deeply regret it_. But he refused to move at all.

His mind was so jumbled, he wasn't paying attention to what Marinette said next... until he felt her hand on his.

Inhaling sharply, Adrien watched perplexed as the princess lifted his hand and placed something long and colourful in his open palm. It was the string of beads from her belt. The centre green bead was bigger than the rest, and it was engraved with the outline of a large flower.

"Now that you don't have the dust anymore," Marinette clarified, "you'll need a bit more luck to stop Hawkmoth."

Adrien gaped at her, shaking his head. "Ladybug, you shouldn't have to –"

"Trust me," Marinette urged him, closing his hand around the string. "It's worked for me pretty fine. Just promise me you won't sell it to some old hedge witch... or goblin king."

A breath of a laugh escaped Adrien, and he nodded with smug assurance. "Cross my heart," he vowed.

They smiled at each other for much longer than was necessary. _Why are you still here?_ The logical voice inside Adrien's head snapped. _Stop ogling her already and go!_

"So listen, uh..." Marinette began, drawing the thief's attention once more. "I know you're still a wanted fugitive, and you'll probably be busy anyway... you know, saving the world and all that..."

Adrien's mouth curled up higher as she stammered on.

"But, I was thinking... well, actually _hoping_..." Marinette twiddled her fingers and shrugged. "If you ever happen to stop by... or need help in any way –"

"I'll find you," Adrien said.

Marinette finally looked up at him.

"Unless, of course, you find me first," the thief offered with a wink. "You're pretty good at that."

Marinette gave him a proud grin. "Always," she murmured.

With nothing else to say – and not enough courage in him to utter a goodbye – Adrien began backing away.

Marinette did the same, not taking her eyes off of him... until she stumbled and nearly tripped over herself with a frightful yelp. Adrien snorted into his empty hand before Marinette straightened up giggling, waved goodbye and then turned sharply on her heels, her ladybug cloak flowing out behind her.

Adrien finally turned around. He pulled his black hood over his head and slung his pack over his shoulder before hiking back up the trail towards the Enchanted Forest. He counted the steps ... _five, six, seven, eight_...

Then, he stopped.

And without meaning to, he looked back.

He waited until his Ladybug disappeared down the hill before resuming his hike.

All that time, Adrien never stopped smiling.

* * *

 **MB: Part 1 finally finished!**

 **Coming up in Part 2: scheming bandits, romantic dances, sinister plots, broken hearts, and daring escapades!**


	7. 2:1: Bitten By the Love Bug

**PART 2:**

 _It is believed and often spoken that absence makes the heart grow fonder._

 _Whether that is true for everyone, no one can really say for certain._

 _But one thing was absolutely certain:_

 _When Marinette and Adrien parted ways, they stayed together in their hearts – though they did not know it right away._

 _She was found by her duty to her people._

 _He was bound by his loyalty to his family._

 _As the long days spent apart turned into agonizing weeks, the two heroes finally understood how much they missed being in each other's lives._

 _Luckily, they both had friends to help open their eyes – and their hearts – to the possibility of true love._

 _But like all fairy tales, there are villains who will do anything to ensure that true love does not prevail..._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1:**_

 _ **Bitten by the Love Bug**_

Autumn came quicker than usual, drying out the fields and turning the leaves of the Enchanted Forest into a vibrant collage of oranges, yellows, and browns. The sky often became pale and cloudy, which resulted in freezing rain falls. The air was crisp and frigid – an early warning system for the animals and human peasants that winter was well on its way.

That also meant most of the animals would be migrating or hibernating sooner this year, making it all the more difficult to hunt. Nino the huntsman was learning that the hard way.

His tanned skin served as a useful camouflage amongst the tall, dead grass as he spotted a lone buck grazing up ahead – or _trying_ to graze, anyway. The creature would soon lose interest in the short supply of food here and move onward, which meant that Nino had to be quick.

But speed could be an enemy if you weren't careful, and Nino was surrounded by dry, cracked twigs that could give him away at the slightest misstep.

Gripping his bow softly, Nino lifted it up and aimed at the buck through the grass. He took a deep breath, held it, and prepared to fire.

 _SNAP!_

Nino stiffened, shaking the grass around him.

The buck snapped its head up, its ears raised, before leaping into action and taking off towards the safety of the trees.

"Dawn it," Nino swore with a whine. "Empty-handed once again."

The question was: where had that noise come from?

Nino stepped out of the brush just as a beautiful, red-furred vixen emerged onto the open field and padded towards him. Her long bushy tail, which was dipped in white on the end, swayed behind her, indicating that she meant the huntsman no harm. Her ears perked up and her amber eyes gave Nino a friendly welcome.

The brown-eyed huntsman, however, was not as courteous. "You cost me my kill, Alya," he complained as he folded his arms at his girlfriend.

The vixen seemed to whimper and then lowered her snout to the ground. In a shimmering flash of gold, her red fur was replaced with a peasant dress completed with a soft orange cloak. The vixen's face shifted into that of a human girl with caramel skin, round spectacles and wavy auburn hair. But the eyes remained the same – only now they looked up at Nino with sarcasm.

"Well, pardon me, Master Nino sir," Alya said as she dipped into an exaggerated curtsy. "I came rushing over the moment I caught your scent, so forgive me if I got a little excited to see you again after several days all alone." Her lips scrunched into a pout that Nino found annoying as well as adorable.

The huntsman slumped with defeat. "You're right. I'm sorry," he confessed. "I'm happy to see you too."

Alya smirked and pulled him into a hug. Nino breathed in the spicy scent of pinecones, peaches and cinnamon in her hair, and he sighed with a smile. Shape-shifters not only had a keen sense of smell, but they also had a mystical, alluring aura about them that drew humans in like moths to a flame. In Alya's case, her scent represented her personality: fiery and vicious towards her foes, and sweet and protective towards her friends.

That was one of the main reasons Nino fell in love with her from the start. Well, that and the fact that he knew what felt like to be an outcast like Alya – cut off from the rest of society because of who you are or, in his case, what you had been.

The pair locked eyes, savoring each other's body heat amidst the chilly weather.

"How was your trip?" Nino asked her hopefully.

Her face fell into a sympathetic frown. "I've got some news," she admitted solemnly. "It's about... you-know-who."

Nino knew what that meant, and he sighed. "Judging by your tone, I take it it's nothing good."

Alya nodded. "Where is he?" she asked.

Nino knew what _that_ meant too. "Back at the hideout," he whispered out of habit. Words travelled fast in the Enchanted Forest, and not everyone who heard was as well-receiving as they were.

The huntsman took Alya's hand and they trekked back into the forest. All the while, he felt a sagging feeling in his chest.

How exactly do you break bad news to your best friend without breaking his heart?

* * *

A small abandoned cottage in the middle of the Enchanted Forest wasn't exactly a nice place to call home. But it served as the perfect headquarters for the Seven Bandits – a group of youths founded by Adrien himself, each member devoted to overthrowing Hawkmoth and ridding the kingdom of his Akuma Guards.

Though it only had two rooms, one tiny fireplace, and one rickety table that served as the kitchen and workspace, the cottage at least shielded its inhabitants from the horrors of the forest at night. In addition, the whole place was infused into a massive tree, with vines stretching all over the brick walls and windows. It made the cottage seem more wretched and haunted, like in the children's tales about witches and fairies that dwelled in the forest, luring curious travellers to their doom.

Despite its forsaken appearance, the cottage was quite cozy on the inside, if not clustered. One large bed sat in the corner, reserved for the only three girls: Alya, Rose, and Juleka. The boys – Nino, Kim, Max, and Nathaniel – had to sleep on hammocks made from spare bed-sheets.

Which meant Adrien usually slept on the floor whenever he visited.

Normally, he didn't mind. In fact, he liked to joke around with his friends that the "Prince of Agreste" was always getting the short straw. But lately, his jokes were less frequent and his demeanour less lively and more dreary.

The thief now sat perched on the window sill, looking out towards the endless maze of trees. A tiny beam of sunshine warmed his face. He imagined it as the sunlight from the golden towers of Castle Bourgeois... from the day he last saw Marinette.

It had been a whole month since they parted. Adrien had assumed things would return to normal with time and distance. He assumed incorrectly.

No matter what he did every day, even while he was off fighting Akumas, Adrien could not get his ladybug princess out of his thoughts. Her face haunted him whenever he closed his eyes, and his dreams were filled with memories of her dancing around with her knife, singing softly by the fire, or running alongside him through the forest.

But they weren't always good dreams. Once in a while, Adrien would be back in that dark stone tunnel, running as fast as he could while a female voice screamed his name. Only it was no longer his mother's voice that Adrien heard – it was Marinette's; more terrified than he had ever heard her. He'd wake up on the cottage floor, drenched with sweat. One time, he accidently aroused the others with his own screaming.

Rose had given him a potion to help him sleep better since then – she was a skilled healer, after all – but she could not help Adrien drink away his fears.

Now the thief spent the boring waking hours gazing off into nothingness, wondering if his Ladybug was safe and happy. _Of course she is_ , Adrien assured himself, _she's a warrior – she can fend for herself_.

Still, he could not ignore Marinette's voice, or her laugh, or her smile, or even the fiery look she had in those gorgeous sapphire eyes whenever she got angry or hurt. And every time one of those things crossed his mind, Adrien would pull out her lucky charm and wonder if Marinette ever dreamed about _him_. Then again, Cat Noir wasn't someone one would easily forget, even if they wanted to.

"...you even listening?" a gruff voice spoke from behind him. "Adrien?"

"Huh?" The thief snapped out of his reverie and glanced over his shoulder at his friends.

Kim, the one who had spoken, sat at the table due to his tall height while everyone else stood. He was so strong and well-built; he could lift almost anything and was already a fine shot with a bow. However, his dark brown eyes were as hard as boulders, and his dark hair with golden tips gave him the look of an irritated porcupine.

"I said," Kim repeated, "what do you think of Max's idea?"

Adrien threw the short, dark-skinned boy next to Kim a sheepish grin. "Uh... sorry, Max. I wasn't paying attention."

Max, the shortest and smartest of the Seven Bandits, rolled his eyes to the ceiling. "Why am I not surprised?" he said in a squeaky voice. "Based on the unmistakable sudden redness in your face and the way your pupils had greatly expanded for a good two seconds before contracting, I'd say you had something more _interesting_ on your mind."

The thief blinked at Max before frowning. "I just got distracted," he said defensively. "What's it to you?"

"He _does_ have a point, Adrien," Juleka chimed in, brushing her long black hair from one side of her face. As the master spy of the team, Juleka's coppery eyes always paid attention to detail, no matter how small or insignificant. "You have been acting rather unusual lately, if not a little moody," she said.

Nathaniel, who was lounged in one of the hammocks, didn't look up from his book as he said bluntly, "Isn't it obvious? Adrien's thinking of some _one_ , not some _thing_."

Adrien's eyes widened and his mouth hung open. "Wha-?! I... That's... How'd you...!" He stuttered uncontrollably but then stopped when he heard Rose gasping with delight.

The short, blue-eyed blonde had her hands over her cheeks as she squealed, "Adrien's in love?!" She bore a huge grin and inched over to Adrien, who almost lost his balance on the window sill trying to lean away from her. "It's _her_ , isn't it – that "Ladybug" girl you told us about? What was her real name again? Mary... Marianna?"

"Easy, Rose," Kim said as he gently pulled the healer back. "Let the kid breathe." The strongman then gave Adrien a sly eyebrow. "Seriously though, is she right?"

A familiar male voice came from the door before Adrien could respond: "Is Rose right about what?"

Adrien sighed with relief and eased off the window sill. "Nino!" He didn't have to walk far to embrace his best friend. "About time you showed up – these guys are ganging up on me for no reason."

"Are not!" Kim and Max complained in unison. Not surprising, seeing as they both made a pretty good team. With Kim's strength and excellent aim combined with Max's intellect and trap-setting skills, they were a force not to be taken lightly.

Meanwhile, Rose and Juleka ran over to welcome back Alya. The healer and spy often worked together on reconnaissance or infiltration. And whenever Rose needed "special ingredients" for her potions – whether it was disguises, medicines, or explosives – Juleka would find creative ways to extract them.

Nathaniel didn't have as much fighting skills as the rest of the bandits, but that didn't make him any less a rebel. If anything, he liked to say that his voice was his most powerful weapon; his ability to speak truths and inspire others with stories of the past. One such story – the tragedy of Adrien's parents, King Gabriel and Queen Vivienne – did not go unnoticed by Hawkmoth.

After the other bandits saved him from execution, Nathaniel had asked to join their cause. Adrien remembered the red-headed bard's words: _I want to be able to say that I was there. I want to be able to tell your story, whether it has a happy ending or not._

Then there was Nino and Alya, who had already become a couple long before they started taking on Akumas together. Alya's shape-shifting came in handy, even though she could only take the form of a vixen, and her boyfriend would always be there to support her with his arrows and hatchets.

Adrien had known Nino since they were children, so the prince knew that the huntsman's hatred towards Hawkmoth burned pretty deep.

It all started that fateful day when the prince thought his beloved mother had died. He had wept over Queen Vivienne's peaceful form while his stepfather held him, promising Adrien he would set things right. Later on, the prince had gone down into the woods to pick wildflowers for his mother's funeral, with Nino as his escort. Then, out of nowhere, the huntsman attacked Adrien, hatchet in hand; and a glowing, purple, butterfly-shape floating over his eyes. Adrien had been grievously outmatched, so he surrendered and begged Nino to make the end quick and painless for both their sakes. But when the moment came, Nino refused to stab his best friend, causing the dark spell on him to shatter instantly.

That's when Nino told Adrien everything he learned before he had been bewitched: how the prince's stepfather was the same sorcerer who had murdered King Gabriel; how the queen was not dead, but in a deep slumber; and how Hawkmoth needed Adrien gone in order to stake his claim to the throne of Agreste.

Adrien sighed heavily as the memory flowed through him. He wondered what would have happened that day if Hawkmoth had sent someone else other than Nino to cut out the prince's heart. Adrien never would have become Cat Noir. He never would have met Marinette.

And speaking of whom...

Adrien turned to Alya eagerly as the group hug finally ended. "So what did you find out?" he asked the shape-shifter.

The room quieted as Alya took a deep breath and met the thief's hopeful green eyes with her own sombre amber. "It's official," she stated. "Princess Marinette is to marry Prince Theo in two days' time."

Rose let out a tiny, horrified gasp. Juleka hung her head down. Kim and Max exchanged a nervous glance. Nathaniel finally looked up from his book, his blue eyes filled with sympathy.

Only Adrien remained impassive. He had expected nothing less... so why did it still hurt? "That's..." he nodded slowly as he struggled to speak, "That's... good."

"Is it?" Alya asked, unconvinced.

"Yeah, I'm happy for her."

Nino raised an eyebrow. "Are you?" he enquired.

Adrien's own eyebrows furrowed. "Why are you asking me stupid questions?" he snapped.

"Because you keep giving us stupid answers!" Alya snapped back, causing Adrien to reel. "Look, we know you've got it bad for her. You keep crying out her name at night, for god's sake! So why don't you just cut the "I don't care" crap and tell us the truth!"

Adrien caught Nino nodding at him. The thief sighed heavily and looked down at his feet. "You're right..." he murmured. "I _have_ been lying, more to myself than to you guys." He looked back up at Rose. "I _am_ in love with Marinette. The reason why I've never admitted it until now is because..." He paused and sighed again. "...because I want her to be _here_ , with me. And at the same time... I'm afraid of losing her. My current lifestyle isn't exactly something I want to drag a princess into."

The bitterness in Alya's eyes faded instantly.

Juleka snorted. "You think _we_ wanted to live like this too?" she asked.

Adrien blinked at her.

Nathaniel nodded and stood up. "But we chose to anyway," he explained, "because we knew it was better than becoming Hawkmoth's puppets."

Max bumped a fist on Adrien's shoulder, smiling. "And we all work like hornets in a hive," he declared. "In perfect synchronization."

"I don't know what that means," Kim said with a shrug, "but I agree. As long as we stick together, then Mothball can't stop us!"

Rose giggled and said, "As long as you truly care about Marinette, and she feels the same for you, then you have nothing to fear." She placed both her hands on her heart. "Love can overcome all obstacles."

Adrien smiled thoughtfully at his friends... but then rubbed the back of his neck. "But... I don't even know if Marinette _does_ feel the same way," he contradicted.

Alya sneered. "Well, then, maybe you should go and ask her," she offered casually.

Both Adrien and Nino stared at her in disbelief. "How?" they both asked.

"Tonight," Alya said, her eyes gleaming with mischief, "Princess Chloe of Bourgeois is hosting a masquerade ball in honour of the engagement. Apparently, she wants to show off her little brother and his fiancée once last time before the big day."

Adrien's face lit up for the first time in weeks, a plan already forming in his mind. It made him feel like his old Cat Noir-self again. "And let me guess: every single noble in the kingdom has been invited?" he asked.

"You are correct, sir," Alya affirmed.

"Hold on," Nino broke in, eyeing Adrien curiously. "I know that look. What are you thinking?"

The thief bore a feline grin, his teeth flashing. "I'm thinking I need to get myself an invitation to the ball," he said as excitement ignited his core. "And I know _just_ the noblewoman who can help me with that."

* * *

As midday finally brought the sun through the exposed windows into Lady Nathalie's study, the thin, dark-haired noblewoman caught a shadow moving shiftily along the floor. It looked to her like something – or some _one_ – was crawling along the windows outside.

If she hadn't known better, Nathalie would have screamed that there was a burglar. Or a giant cat. Instead, she sighed softly and put her teacup down before turning to her bodyguard. "That will be all for now, Gor. You may go."

The hulking brute of a man bowed stiffly and stomped out of the study, sealing the wooden doors behind him.

Nathalie stood from her chair and strolled over to the fireplace, using the poker to nudge the dying logs back to life. Once that was done, she brushed her hands off and spoke over her shoulder, "Would it really kill you to use the front door for once... Your Highness?"

A playful chuckle sounded behind her.

Nathalie turned and unsurprisingly found the boy she once knew as Prince Adrien sprawled in her chair, legs crossed, face stretched into a snicker. The lady had to give him credit – he actually closed the window this time.

"I guess I'm more cat-like than I realized," Adrien bragged.

Nathalie gave him the barest smile as she strode over to the table in front of them. "I wonder if your choice of theme had something to do with that annoying black cat from the castle," she mused as she began to pour a fresh cup of tea. "Do you recall? It was the one that followed you everywhere when you were a small boy; always sneaking around other people's _private_ rooms." She emphasized that word heavily with a raised eyebrow.

Adrien rose from the chair, his emerald eyes gazing off at seemingly nothing. Nathalie couldn't say they didn't remind her so much of his mother.

"His name was Plagg," the former prince elaborated, "and I really loved that cat."

"Of course," Nathalie said as she offered him the warm tea. "I meant no offence." Adrien took the cup with a gracious nod and took small sips as Nathalie went on, "But I presume you didn't come here to talk about old pets and bad habits, did you, Adrien?"

The boy lowered his cup, licking his lips as he replied, "No, Nat. I'm here for a favour." His eyes had that familiar gleam of a child about to play hooky from his studies. Nathalie knew it all too well. "There's going to be a fancy little to-do at Castle Bourgeois this evening," he said, all while frowning a bit at his tea, "and I need your help getting inside without any trouble."

Nathalie pursed her lips curiously. "Princess Chloe's masquerade ball?" she asked. "What makes you think I have any intention of going to that lousy excuse of a good performance?"

"Come on, Nat..." Adrien said as he leaned over the table to scoop sugar into his cup. "When you were my governess, you always had a knack for being at every festivity ever held. Not just for the music and free wine..." he added with a smirk, "...but for the gossip. I'm willing to bet you know the names and statuses of everyone on Chloe's guest list." Adrien stirred his tea, clanging the sides of the cup as he did so, before turning back to Nathalie. "And maybe – just maybe – you also know all of the ins and outs of Castle Bourgeois." He took another sip, smiled satisfyingly, and then leaned against the table. "Am I right?"

Nathalie felt a deep weight fall on her shoulders. One year away from court, and the prince could now read people's souls like a gambler could read cards on a table. _Now he reminds me of the father_ , she thought with a shudder.

The lady put on her regal face and explained, "After I was... _rudely dismissed_ from Castle Agreste, getting close to the Bourgeois royal family was my only chance of keeping an eye on Hawkmoth's supporters. Andre's daughter likes to throw get-togethers for the rich and powerful... and most of them have had their pockets filled with your stepfather's coin." Nathalie's mouth tightened as she said that.

"But that wasn't the only reason," she admitted, giving Adrien the look of a worried nurse. "I wanted to see if any of them had any information about _you_ – whether or not you were alive, any sightings or raids you've been involved with..." She sighed. "Your mother wasn't just my lady and sovereign – she was my oldest and dearest friend." Nathalie turned away guiltily. "Is she...?" She cleared her throat. "She has not woken yet, I presume."

His silence was answer enough.

Then Adrien said firmly, "I'll find a way to save her. I know I will."

"Adrien..." Nathalie pleaded as she faced him once more. "There are some battles you cannot hope to win."

The prince's eyes hardened into shields of green. "And there are some battles you _have_ to win," he stated.

Nathalie's thin blue eyes widened, but then it was gone in an instant. She could never doubt the amount of sanguinity and fortitude her pupil had within him.

"I'm not going to let her down, Nat," Adrien vowed, setting down his teacup before straightening. "But first, there's someone at that ball I need to talk to."

"Whom, exactly?" Nathalie asked, suddenly unsure she wanted to know.

"Princess Marinette of Dupain-Cheng."

The way Adrien uttered that name: the words slurring together, his tone soft and warm, his eyes bearing traces of the same look his mother got when she met her first husband...

It was all enough to make Nathalie giggle brightly. "Oh, my dear Adrien," she stammered, trying to hide her smile. "I always knew that brash charm of yours would get you in trouble one day, but _this_...?"

Adrien cocked his head to the side, his eyes rolling. "Yes, well, as you can obviously tell, I'm not exactly ball-ready," he said as he gestured to his roguish assortment of leathers. "So will you help me get inside the castle – just this one time?"

Once she had gathered her wits about her, Nathalie sighed and strode back to the fireplace, watching the faint embers vanish into the air. "To aid an outlaw wanted for murder and treason is considered a death sentence," the lady said gravely. "Just having you here now puts me at a terrible risk."

She heard feet shuffling along the carpet. "I know," Adrien murmured. "But I wouldn't have come unless I had a really good reason to. You're the only noble I know I can trust."

Nathalie recalled the day she first heard Hawkmoth's decree, calling for Adrien's immediate capture and execution. She had never believed a word of it. She had spoken up for Adrien, and that's what had gotten her banished.

Perhaps it was high-time to even the score.

"You are Vivienne's son," Nathalie said, "and Gabriel's; no matter how much you wish it wasn't so." She turned to face him staunchly. "If you need to get to the ball, then _you_ , Prince Adrien, are going to need to be more than "ball-ready". In fact, we're going to review all seven of the royal _valses_ just to make sure you haven't forgotten anything in your... _absence_."

Adrien stared perplexedly at her as his former governess.

"Fortunately for you," Nathalie said as she raised a finger, "I still have some of your old suits and uniforms tucked away for safe keeping. I took the liberty of stashing away your belongings when I left Castle Agreste. I am quite certain one of them will –"

"Hold on..." Adrien interjected, his face slack with surprise. "You actually kept my old clothes?" He paused and made a face. "Nat, you know that's weird, right?"

The Lady of Sancoeur gave him a suave smile. "I prefer to think of it as... _clairvoyant_."


	8. 2:2: Have a Ball

**MB: So here's the thing... Halfway through this chapter, I realized that it wouldn't make much sense for Marinette to be the heir to the throne and have to go and live in her future husband's kingdom. So instead of Sabine being Marinette's confident, as I intended, I chose Bridgette (who in this story is her older sister and therefore the heir to the throne). I have also fixed up a few parts in the earlier chapters that made Marinette seem like an only child and changed them to indicate that she's not. Problem solved!**

 **This was one of those annoying, let's-get-through-this-already-so-we-can-get-to-the-good-part chapters. So forgive me if it seems too quick to read or too annoyingly dull.**

 **I know this wasn't in the original story, but I reeeeeally wanted to write about a ball because I thought Adrien and Marinette could use a special moment together before the whole upcoming letter fiasco. Plus, I was inspired by the Emma and Hook ball scene from the OUAT Season 3 finale.**

 **So yeah... here you go. The rest of Part 2 will be much better, I promise!**

* * *

 **PART 2:**

 _ **Chapter 2:**_

 _ **Have a Ball**_

Marinette would stare out the window of her tower, gazing down unblinkingly towards the open ballroom in the centre of the courtyard. Cheery music and bubbly laughter filled the evening air, and strung up lanterns ignited the celebration like fairy lights.

After a minute or two, Marinette would turn to see her masquerade costume strapped onto her mannequin – untouched and unruffled; waiting to be tried on. She had made it herself, taking her old ruby-red silk gown and fashioning it with a combination of black tulle and ribbons. A sparkling red mask with black polka dots sat over the mannequin's blank face, which seemed to peer queerly at Marinette.

The princess would then look away and repeat the same action over and over again in tune with the music: ballroom, ball gown, ballroom, ball gown...

Perhaps it _was_ possible for one to die of boredom. Or maybe Marinette was just being selfish, staying up here alone rather than celebrate her upcoming marriage with the other nobles.

 _Two days_ , she thought with a lump in her throat. Two days until she would be Princess Marinette of Bourgeois. Two days until she would sign her life away forever. Two days before she would have to say "I do" to a man she didn't love.

 _I'd hardly call that selfish._

Marinette gasped and snapped around, but no one was there.

It made her shiver to hear _his_ voice in the back of her mind. But it wasn't a freezing, apprehensive jolt down her spine. No, it felt more like... like a drop of cool water streaking down her back, tickling her at first and then fading into softness. Marinette let out a deep sigh, and her suffocating heart seemed to breathe again as the tension eased off.

A tiny knock from the door almost startled her.

Marinette quickly checked to make sure her robe was done up before calling, "Come in."

The iron handle creaked, light from the hallway poured in, and a beautiful young woman stepped into the room, holding a rectangular wooden box in her hand.

Like all of the guests down below, she wore a costume as well. Hers resembled a peacock: the gown was a deep sapphire blue, and a train of green and orange feathers trailed behind the woman as she walked. A matching feathered mask sat on her face, revealing nothing but her shimmering blue eyes.

Even with that mask, there was no doubt as to who she was. Her pearly skin and long, twin tails of midnight-blue hair gave her away.

"Marinette?" Princess Bridgette asked softly. She studied her younger sister's attire, and her mouth curled upward. "I told Mother you would take a while getting ready, but I never thought it would take you _this_ long."

Marinette rolled her eyes with a grin and turned back to the window. "How goes the ball?" she enquired casually.

"Your absence has been noted," Bridgette replied as she drew closer. "It is, after all, in _your_ honour."

Marinette sighed shamefully, refusing to look her sister in the eye. Instead, she looked down at the tiny forms of colourful, masked people twirling around on the ballroom floor in a synchronized routine.

She felt her sister's presence at her side. "When we were both young, we used to stay up long after bedtime and hold our own private balls in our nursery," Bridgette illustrated with a smile. "You kept insisting we should have a prince to dance with. So one day, you made a royal tunic out of a handkerchief for your teddy bear and pretended that he was your prince."

Marinette laughed warmly, her cheeks almost straining. "I remember..." she said between giggles. "I named him Prince Fuzzwilliam – and our nurse didn't speak to me for days after what I did to her handkerchief."

Both sisters giggled, and then Bridgette looked back out the window. "You may not have the bear anymore," she said, "but now you have a real prince to dance with." She angled her head so that she could look into her sister's eyes. "And yet, you're up here... and not down there."

Marinette sighed and walked over to the fireplace. Why was it so cold in here? "I just don't feel like dancing," she explained. "Not right now, anyway." Her eyes fell on the box in the elder princess's hands. "What's that?"

Bridgette shrugged. "Chloe thought this might – and I'm quoting her – "rouse you from your room."" She walked over to Marinette and lifted the lid off the box. "Something borrowed, for you to wear for the wedding."

Displayed on a sheet of blue velvet was an exquisite blue diamond about the size of a goose egg. It was outlined with intricate white diamonds and surrounded by a matching chain. The firelight erupted off the facets of the huge jewel, giving it a mesmerizing glow.

Marinette was anything but mesmerized. "Just the jewel could feed the kingdom for an entire winter... maybe longer," she stated flatly. She glanced up at her sister with piercing eyes. "Perhaps if Chloe stopped hoarding all of her trinkets like a dragon, she wouldn't be in so much debt."

Bridgette, unsurprised by her younger sister's discontent, closed the box gently. "Be patient with her, Marinette," she urged. "I admit that Bourgeois' values of the citizenry aren't as... _amiable_ as ours." She lifted her eyes heavenward as she said that. "But I'm sure that will all change."

Marinette lifted her own eyes. "Yeah... once Theo and I are wed," she grumbled. "I get a husband, and Chloe gets more treasure and land to her name. I'd hardly call that a fair trade."

Bridgette's eyebrows rose a bit, and Marinette bit her lip. Why in the world did she say that? Why was she being so bold all of a sudden? Why was she letting Chloe's somewhat-thoughtful gift get under her skin?

The lines on Bridgette's face softened. "If this is about the wedding..." she said. "If you're... having second thoughts –"

"No, of course not!" Marinette said much-too-quickly. "I will marry Theo... with all my heart." That dreary feeling, like a heavy cloak on her shoulders, fell over her once again as she uttered those four little words.

Her older sister – the heir to the throne of Dupain-Cheng – shook her head with a sad smile. "You can't give your heart to Theo when it's already held by another man," Bridgette stated quietly.

Marinette's pupils shrank and her face turned pallid. "Uh... wha... Whatyouknowdon'tI?" she squeaked before correcting herself, "I mean, what? I... don't you know... I don't know what...!"

Bridgette covered her mouth as she burst into giggles, leaving Marinette utterly dumbstruck. "Oh, Mari... did you really think you could fool your own flesh and blood?" Bridgette asked with a sly grin. "I know that look in your eyes, and I don't recall you ever looking that way with Theo."

Marinette's entire body seemed to have a will of its own. Her arms flattened to her sides and her head wanted to shrink into her shoulders like an owl. Her toes curled under and her fingers dug into her palms.

But this was her big sister; her best friend. Bridgette was renowned for her ability to listen, learn from, and blend in with her surroundings – a trait she undoubtedly inherited from their mother's Chengise blood – whereas Marinette's exuberant behaviour had a tendency to draw too much attention (definitely more on their father's side). Despite their differences in stealth and demeanour, the two princesses were as tightly-knit as pair of woolen mittens.

So why _wouldn't_ Bridgette know what her sister was going through?

The eldest princess cocked her head curiously at Marinette, as though the latter's plight was nothing short of regular gossip. "So who is he – this boy you're thinking of?" Bridgette asked gently.

Marinette sagged forward and glanced back at her costume. The red and black joggled her memory, and she heard Adrien's voice once more:

 _I still like Ladybug better._

Marinette straightened and regained her proper voice. "I met him on a journey." She purposefully left out the details of _where_. "We haven't seen each other since but..." Her eyes stared off dreamily into nowhere and she smiled. "Apparently after I left him, he stayed with me."

Bridgette didn't say anything, her sparkling gaze encouraging her sister to carry on.

So Marinette did. "He's actually a terrible joker, you know," she explained with a playful snort. "But he's also sweet and sensitive. And brave. And honest. And clever." There were too many words to describe Adrien, so she shrugged and sighed, "I miss him. And the more I do, the emptier I feel."

She hadn't noticed it the first week. That funny feeling had only started out as a tiny, annoying hole she thought she would get over. But now, after a whole month without seeing or hearing from Adrien, Marinette felt like she was a walking clay figure; a hollow shell devoid of emotions.

Her sister saw the pain etched on her face. "Are you in love with him?"

Marinette's throat bobbed, and her eyes burned. _I will not cry, I will not cry..._

But now, as everything in her life was about to change, she knew she could not avoid or deny the truth any longer:

 _I am in love with Adrien._

But... "I'm marrying someone else," she said with a broken voice.

"Marinette," Bridgette brushed her sister's cheek, as though wiping away invisible tears. "There are other ways to merge two kingdoms aside from marriage. And I can assure you that King Andre would never resort to war if you refused to marry his son."

"But Chloe might," Marinette mused darkly. "You know how short-fused she is whenever she doesn't get what she wants. And now that her father has taken ill..." She trailed off and swallowed hard.

The news of Andre's sudden ailment had come as quite the shock for Bourgeois. Though he was now bedridden, the king insisted that the masquerade carry on without him. Theo deserved to celebrate his own engagement, and Chloe wouldn't take "no" for an answer. However, Marinette often heard some of the castle servants whisper that the king's failing health was a sign of bad luck; an omen to signal the coming of something dire. Strangely enough, Marinette couldn't shake the feeling that the servants might be right.

Chloe's father gets sick – so close to the wedding date, too – and Chloe gives out her own jewelry? Something didn't add up.

Bridgette broke through Marinette's murky fog of uncertainties. "A king can rule from anywhere, even his own sickbed," she claimed. "And Chloe can't control what you feel, now can she?"

Marinette gave her a half-frown, half-grin. "Like I'd let her," she replied.

"That's the spirit." Her sister smiled and placed both hands on Marinette's shoulders. "You let Mother, Father and I worry about Bourgeois. Just don't let us worry about _you_ too." Bridgette brushed her sister's hair from her face. "Never be afraid to follow your heart, Mari. Doing otherwise is the worst thing you could possibly do."

Marinette smiled and the two sisters embraced.

Just then, the music from outside stopped, a round of applause sounded, and then a slower, lovelier waltz began to play.

Marinette looked back at the dress on her mannequin. "Hey, Bridge, can you help me get my costume on?"

A faint laugh escaped Bridgette's lips. "For you, little sister, always."

* * *

Adrien's knees nearly buckled from nostalgia as he emerged beyond the threshold of the great open doors of the ballroom at Castle Bourgeois.

The parties he remembered attending in Castle Agreste had never been as grandiose as this: people in elaborate costumes swarming like fish in a pond, three rows of musicians playing a sensational orchestra with instruments Adrien couldn't name, servants with trays trying to squeeze past guests without dropping everything, and fat marble columns encaging the entire space. Even the ballroom floor astounded Adrien: it was nothing but golden tile, so sheer and sleek he could see his reflection in it.

He was dressed entirely in black (not surprising): a velvet trench coat adorned with golden thread and buttons, a white ruffled tunic underneath with cuffs that poked out of the coat sleeves, black trousers and leggings, and buckled shoes that were far too clunky for Adrien's taste. A black velvet mask sat on his face, and two leather tufts had been pinned into his gelled, spiked hair like cat ears.

Cat Noir had arrived at the party... and no one knew it. It made Adrien smirk.

Nathalie tugged at his sleeve and pulled him off to the side. "Hold still now," she said. "Let me look at you."

Adrien stopped and pressed his lips together while his former governess fussed over him like a mother to her child. He sincerely hoped Nino and the others were still busy trying to sneak inside the castle with their own "acquired" costumes and not watching Adrien. Fortunately for the Seven Bandits, servants all dressed the same during masquerades. In this case, they were all white doves.

Adrien was just glad he didn't have to wear a feathered mask – like half the people at the ball, he noted warily. He was allergic to feathers.

"Now then," Nathalie said quietly but firmly, her crane-like eyes piercing Adrien's. "Let's go over everything one last time. What is your name?"

"Sir Aidan du Bois," the thief groaned.

Nathalie nodded. "What is your profession?"

"I am a page at the estate of Lady Nathalie of Sancoeur."

"Excellent," Nathalie praised. Then she whispered sharply, "Do what you came here to do, but whatever happens..."

"Steer clear of anyone who might recognise me," Adrien finished for her, "including Princess Chloe." The Bourgeois blonde had been the only one besides Marinette to actually see Adrien up close during the carriage robbery. Whether she would able to see through his mask or not, the thief knew he couldn't take any chances.

Nathalie panted him in assurance and smiled stiffly. "Now then," she said in a regal tone, extending a dainty hand to him. "Would you care to escort your lady?"

Adrien wanted to say his lady was somewhere inside that ballroom, but he held his tongue and bowed like a gentleman. "I would be delighted, Madam," he replied.

The two walked arm-in-arm into the waiting room. The arriving guests were presenting their invitations to the herald, a rooster of a man (quite literally, considering his costume) who would then announce their names in a booming voice to everyone present. When it was their turn, Adrien watched Nathalie hand the herald her golden paper.

Then the plump man called out, "The Lady Nathalie of Sancoeur, and Sir Aidan du Bois!"

As soon as they traversed the steps, Adrien was more than ready to break off and find Marinette... until a tall, burly man approached the pair. He resembled a great bear with a ruffled brown cape, fur-lined jacket, and fluffy tuffs for ears on his head. That bushy brown moustache added to the costume surprisingly well.

"Welcome to Castle Bourgeois," the man said graciously as he bowed. "I am King Thomas of Dupain-Cheng, father of the bride."

If Nathalie hadn't been holding onto him, Adrien would have sunk to the floor. _This is Marinette's father_ , he thought with a nervous chuckle. But a fingernail digging into his arm snapped him out of it and the thief quickly bent forward.

Nathalie curtsied to the king. "It is an honour to finally meet you in person, Your Majesty," she said with a bright smile. "I have heard so much about your success at the Battle of the Long Tides, when the pirates of D'Argencourt tried to invade your shores and you literally swept them right off the beach!"

King Thomas nodded with a low smile. "Yes, well, I'm afraid it wasn't as easy as you described it, my lady," he explained before straightening up. "I will have to bore you with the details later tonight once the announcements are finished."

"I look forward to it," Nathalie said, beaming.

Adrien cleared his throat and asked, "Your...uh,.. Your Majesty?"

The king eyed him curiously and chuckled. "Ah, where are my manners! And who might you be, young man?"

 _An exiled prince wanted for murder who stole your own emerald ring from your daughter and then ending up falling in love with her while almost drowning and being crushed by a rock giant._

"Aidan du Bois, if it pleases Your Majesty," Adrien spoke. "I am a page in Lady Nathalie's estate."

"A page?" The king asked with a grin. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were fine fencer with those strapping arms of yours." He clapped the poor boy on the shoulder.

Adrien couldn't help but laugh. "Well, I'm actually more graceful with a staff than a sword," he said with a smirk, ignoring the sharp look from Nathalie. "In fact, you could almost say I'm a bit of a _crook_."

The king guffawed so hard his broad chest shook like heavy sack. "A sense of humour – I like it!" Thomas exclaimed. "We could use more of that around here. Carry on now, and be sure to _have a ball_." He laughed again before he strode off to greet the remaining arrivals.

Adrien shook his head, grinning from ear to ear. _No wonder my jokes annoy Marinette so much._

He looked up to see Nathalie baring that hawk-like gaze she used to give him when he was younger. "What?" he asked innocently. "I made a good impression, didn't I?"

Nathalie rubbed her temples. "I always knew you were going to be the end of me someday," she moaned.

"I love you too, Nat," Adrien said with a wink. "Now let's get going. I have a princess to find."

* * *

Nino finished doing up his white jacket while Kim finished doing up the binds on the unconscious servants.

The huntsman hated having to do something like this to innocents; to people who were only doing their duty. However, Adrien had insisted this was the only way for the bandits to sneak in. Seven non-existent lords and ladies from non-existent lands would have aroused suspicion. And besides, no noble ever looked a servant directly in the eye, especially in the kingdom of Bourgeois.

Nino just hoped this whole operation was worth it. He could barely see anything without his glasses on, and the mask wouldn't let him wear them.

"Cost is clear," Max whispered from the doorway of the broom closet the boys had squeezed into. Thankfully, castles needed a lot of sweeping, so there was plenty of space for them to put on their disguises and hide the servants.

Nathaniel and Kim poked their heads out of the room before filing out. Nino followed them, relieved that they hadn't attracted any guards. _Yet_.

Alya, Rose and Juleka emerged from one of the other spare rooms down the hallway, identical in everything except hair colour. Nino could almost see the scowl on his girlfriend's face as she squinted through her mask. She couldn't wear her glasses either.

"All right," Alya whispered as everyone huddled together. "Remember the plan: stay as close to the pillars as possible until you see the two royal pains. Kim and Max, on my signal, start the diversion. Once that's done, Juleka, you move in on Goldilocks. Nino and I will keep the other nobles occupied with the wine..."

"Shouldn't be a problem," Nino jeered, causing a few chuckles among the group.

"And after Adrien finds Marinette," Alya continued while squinting at Nino (or was she narrowing her eyes at him?), "Nathaniel will move over to the musicians and make the song request. Just remember to pick something good."

"Something _really_ romantic," Rose offered excitedly. "Like, he'll-sweep-her-off-her-feet-and-see-the-stars-in-her-eyes romantic!"

"Added metaphors only make it sound childish," Max chided.

Nathaniel quickly held up his hands. "Don't worry, I've got just the ballad for the job," he assured with a mischievous twinkle in his blue eyes. "Trust me."

"That's all I need to hear," Alya said. "And Rose, you stay by the stairwell and signal me or Nino if either Goldilocks or her brother comes back. Don't get distracted in _any_ way."

"All right, all right," Rose whined. "Sheesh..."

As the group made their way down the hall, Nino placed a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder. "Will you relax, Aly?" he asked as carefully as he could. "They know the plan, and my man Adrien can take care of himself. What could happen?"

Alya sighed through her nose. "You know something?" she asked as she let him lead her away. "It's always when you ask questions like that when my fur tends to come out."

* * *

The sudden blare of trumpets made Adrien jump and snap around towards the grand staircase of the ballroom, which led to the upper floors of the castle.

He saw them coming down long before the herald announced their names, "Their Royal Highnesses and most distinguished guests: Princess Bridgette of Dupain-Cheng, and Princess Marinette of Dupain-Cheng!"

The entire ballroom burst into applause, their masked faces alit with broad smiles.

Adrien just stood there, his hands slack at his sides and his mouth gaping open.

Stepping down the stairs, arm-in-arm with the near-identical woman who was undoubtedly her sister, was his beautiful Ladybug... dressed like a ladybug.

Her shimmering red dress was long-sleeved, and the skirt flowed straight down from her waist to the floor. Black polka-dotted accents adorned the sides and bodice, and tiny wire wings with sparkling red tulle poked out from behind her. A red and black mask covered her eyes, and her hair hung like watery waves to one side of her face, tied together at the end with ribbon.

His princess smiled to the clapping crowd, her cheeks pinking, as she and her sister stepped out onto the ballroom floor and curtsied as one.

It was as though she had stepped out of a fairytale... and for the first time ever, Adrien actually believed in fairytales.

"My, my..." Nathalie breathed beside him.

Adrien never took his eyes off Marinette. He tried to say something, but his voice croaked (which, in truth, sounded like he was choking on air).

"I've heard she was the fairest of Thomas's daughters," Nathalie carried on, "but to see her with my own two eyes..." She paused and then leaned over to Adrien. "Unless you plan on staring at her until your eyes fall out, I suggest you ask her to dance before the wolves start circling. Oh, dear... too late."

Adrien followed Nathalie's gaze to the dark-haired, dark-eyed man approaching Marinette. Even through his rather posh, silvery wolf costume, Adrien easily recognised the man from the carriage he had robbed: the "git with the goatee", as the thief recalled labelling him.

Prince Theo lifted Marinette's hand and kissed it tenderly, and something that felt like a cauldron of gloom and envy bubbled inside Adrien's gut.

He tried to snuff it out with reassurance as soon as he caught sight of two peculiar "servants" – one tall and muscular, the other black and scrawny – having a bit of a row over a single tray not far from where Theo and Marinette stood.

Adrien smirked and leaned over to Nathalie. "You know how you scare off a wolf?" he quizzed her as Kim and Max's staged fight got even more out of hand. Then Adrien answered his own question: "You make a lot of noise."

There was a tip, a clamour and a cascade of flying wine, followed by several horrified gasps. The royal orchestra screeched to a halt, pitching the ballroom into nothing but human chatter.

The result of the fiasco was Prince Theo's fine silver tunic receiving a pretty yellow stain on its front... and a wave of poorly concealed giggling from the onlookers, including the two princesses of Dupain-Cheng.

Kim and Max immediately fell to their knees in the spilled wine, blubbering their most sincere apologies.

"You clumsy, incompetent fools!" Theo shouted with a heated face. "I should send you both to the stocks if making people laugh is all you're good for!"

Suddenly, Marinette was standing between her fiancé and Adrien's friends. "Theo, calm down!" she pleaded in a hard tone. "It was an accident – they didn't mean it!"

 _Actually, they did_ , Adrien thought with a snicker.

Then, a sharp voice cracked across the room, "What is the meaning of this?!"

"Oh, wonderful," Adrien grumbled.

"Theo! What in the world –?" Princess Chloe gasped as she rushed over to her ailing brother. She wore a bulging dress of bright yellow complete with black ribbons and a black mask. It reminded Adrien of a bee.

And it looked like she was about to get her stinger out.

Chloe leapt back from the stain on Theo's shirt with appall. Then she growled and snapped around to the crowd. "Who in the name of King Andre is responsible for this?" she bellowed.

Kim and Max bowed their heads low as the princess jabbed a finger in their direction. "You two! Clean up this horrid mess at once!" Chloe demanded. "And don't let me catch either of you setting one foot in this ballroom ever again. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Your Highness," the two "servants" squeaked as they gathered broken bits of glass onto the tray and wiped off the wine with their towels. Adrien felt deeply sorry for them. Then again, Kim was a tough guy, and Max always calculated the risks.

All the while, Marinette shot her future sister-in-law a reproachful glare. "That was a bit excessive, Chloe. They said they were sorry."

"Humph! Apologies don't change what happened," Queen Bee scoffed at her, "and I won't accept excuses or sob stories from useless servants."

Some of the onlookers whispered among themselves, and Adrien could have sworn he saw King Thomas narrowing his eyes at Chloe and grumbling to a woman in a tiger costume who looked like she could be Marinette's mother.

Theo rubbed his temples and his voice softened, "Chloe, Marinette is right," he stated. "It was just an accident. All I need is a new tunic and I'll be –"

"A new tunic? You need more than that! Look – there's a bit of wine on your trousers too!" Chloe exclaimed, causing several heads to peek over and snicker. Chloe growled and – just like that – she regained her composure, her face utterly expressionless and her voice tart. "I can't let you be seen with your fiancée in this _terrible_ state. Come – we must find you a better costume at once. Perhaps in a better colour, like green. Or maybe you can wear red like Marinette if it makes you feel better..."

Queen Bee kept buzzing on as she hooked her arm in her brother's and dragged the poor, stuttering man up the grand staircase.

Adrien finally let the corners of his mouth rise higher. _Wow_ , he mused, _I guess Juleka gets the night off._

The musicians began playing again, and the guests eagerly returned to their more appealing topics of discussion.

Adrien breathed out heavily and brushed himself off. "Looks like this is my lucky night," he said confidently to Nathalie.

"Just be careful, Adrien," Nathalie whispered, her eyes glistening with worry.

The princely thief gave her a reassuring glance. "Hey, it's me, remember?" He strode away before she could have the chance to reply.

Needless to say, Adrien didn't get very far before he started getting very nervous. Each step he took towards Marinette made it more difficult for him to breathe. What would he say to her? Would she even _want_ to dance with him, or been _seen_ with him?

 _That's what you came here to find out, you dolt_ , Adrien scolded himself before taking a deep breath and moving forward – albeit more hesitantly.

He saw Marinette exchange a few words with her sister before the latter accepted a dance from a young nobleman in an owl costume. Then Marinette sighed with what looked like apprehension, and she turned to exit the dance floor before the next number began.

That is... until her eyes lined up with Adrien's.

Adrien stiffened as though he had just fallen under a spell. In those swirls of gorgeous blue, he saw the Ladybug he remembered from a month ago: the huntress who had trapped him in that net, the heroine who had pulled him from the River Marsh, the angel who had stitched his shoulder, the friend who had given him that lucky charm.

Suddenly, all memory of the previous few minutes vanished from Adrien's mind, along with any fear, uncertainty and doubt he had left.

Like a cat on the prowl, Adrien swaggered over to a perplexed Marinette and swept into a deep bow before her.

Then he looked up at her, his green eyes flashing with that playful demeanour he knew she'd remember, and said, "May I have the honour of this dance... _my lady_?"


	9. 2:3: Caught Red-Handed

**PART 2:**

 _ **Chapter 3:**_

 _ **Caught Red-Handed**_

"May I have the honour of this dance... _my lady_?"

Marinette inhaled sharply at the handsome young stranger bowing before her.

Her heart pounded so hard she could feel it in her fingertips, and a surge of warmth flooded through her core.

The green eyes – the same ones she first saw that day on the Troll Road – were a dead giveaway. And, yes, the cat costume.

Suddenly, all sights and sounds around Marinette became hazy, as though time had slowed down. The music sounded so distant and sluggish. All Marinette could comprehend was the boy standing before her.

The one person she'd never thought she'd see again and yet dared to hope she would.

 _He's here!_

Then her core became frigid and numb. _What is he doing here? He could get caught!_

"You...!" Marinette breathed. Too loud, of course, which caused a few heads to turn and look at her.

Adrien gave her a hopeful grin. "Is that a "yes"?" he asked.

At first, the princess forgot what he was talking about. Then she heard the musicians strike up the basilicas and cellos, and the memory resurfaced. They were at a ball – _her_ engagement ball – and he was asking _her_ to dance. With _him_.

Marinette struggled to find her voice again. "I... um... yes?"

The eyes of the cat-like intruder brightened and he offered her his hand.

A shiver ran down Marinette's arm as her fingers wrapped around his. And as he graciously led her to onto the ballroom floor, she found that she actually enjoyed it.

 _No, I_ can't _be enjoying this_ , argued a rebel thought in her mind. _He shouldn't even_ be _here! Why in the wide world would he come?_

Then another thought came to Marinette, causing her ecstatic heart to sink: _Why didn't he come earlier?_

Her logic and emotions continued to war against each other as Adrien turned to face her and held their conjoined hands out to the side while wrapping his free hand around her waist. Unconsciously, Marinette moved towards him, her breath catching as their faces drew closer. She could feel how warm he was.

Then the waltz began.

Adrien stepped, and Marinette followed. He stepped again, and she did the same. Then her feet were gliding across the golden floor, her dress swishing around her as she moved. Back and forth, side-to-side, back and forth, side-to-side... each step in perfect time with the beat.

Even in her dazed state, Marinette could tell that Adrien's movements were a little stiff. _Is he nervous too?_ The princess almost found that funny. _Of course he's nervous. He's a cat in a roomful of hounds, out on the open with a target on his back._

They pulled apart and Adrien spun her underneath his arm before reeling her back in. "I guess I managed to find you after all, huh, Ladybug?" he said with a hint of that arrogance she remembered.

"Cat," Marinette whispered firmly. She wouldn't dare utter his true name in an open room with so many people. "Why are you here?"

"I need to talk to you," Adrien replied in a more earnest tone.

Now the princess _had_ to laugh. "Really?" she asked dryly. She twirled around so that her back was to him and her arms were crossed over as he held her. "Two days before my wedding, with two entire kingdoms attending... and you pick _now_ of all times to talk?" Marinette didn't bother to hide the hurt in her seemingly-plain expression as she twirled back to face him.

Her dashing rogue didn't bother to hide his either. The corners of his mouth sagged, and his eyes lost their roguish gleam. "I'm sorry, my lady," Adrien murmured. "I'm sorry I stayed away for so long. I'm sorry I didn't figure it all out sooner."

Marinette's face softened, and she completely forgot she was starting to feel mad at him. "Figure out _what_?" she asked, though not without a little edge to it.

"Before I answer that," Adrien said as the music perked up, "there's something I need to ask you." He surprised his partner by pulling her closer and leaning her down into a low dip.

Marinette almost gasped. _This_ wasn't part of the routine.

And neither was that feline grin of his. "Did you miss me?" Adrien asked.

Marinette gave him a sly smile of her own as he lifted her back up. "Before I answer _that_ ," she repeated as they fell back in with the rest of the dancers, "you _do_ realize you're tossing fat into the fire by coming here, right?" That queasy fear in her gut rose. "What if a certain stepfather finds out that you're flouncing away at a public party?"

Adrien straightened with surprise. "Flouncing? Am I really that rusty?"

Marinette moaned. Why couldn't he take everything seriously for once? "Cat, please," she urged, leaning closer so that he could see the genuine worry etched her blue eyes. "I didn't save your life just to watch you risk it all over again."

Her partner's eyebrows rose a bit, as though her fearing for his life was new to him. _Apparently, he forgot that I saved him first_ , Marinette thought mirthlessly.

Adrien realized he was falling behind in the routine and awkwardly swung Marinette around him. "What's life without a little risk? A little hope?" he said with that selfless, princely attitude he showed on the stone bridge. "What kind of a future king would I be if I let fear guide my actions? What kind of a _friend_ would I be if I had just stayed away?" As he pulled Marinette back into his arms, Adrien smiled again and nudged his chin to their conjoined hands. "Besides," he whispered with a wink, "I have luck on my side."

Marinette glanced down... and her heart skipped a beat.

Attached on Adrien's wrist, just barely concealed by the flowing white cuff of his tunic, was Marinette's lucky charm.

The princess looked back up at him, her smile warmer and brighter. "You actually kept it," she said with a bit of a giggle.

Adrien nodded affectionately. "I promised I would, didn't I?"

Marinette let herself sink into his embrace, her eyes never leaving his. "Yes," she finally said. "I _did_ miss you, more than I care to admit."

The thief's eyebrows rose higher, this time with intrigue.

"And you're right," Marinette added with a mischievous slur in her tone. "You _are_ a bit rusty."

Adrien matched her challenging gaze. "Well then," he said as they both bowed to each other, his eyes glowing. "It's a good thing I have a partner who knows what she's doing."

And as the music rose into a beautiful, lively crescendo, the masked cat let his Ladybug lead this time.

* * *

Bridgette sighed with relief as she excused herself from her escort, almost leaning on the refreshment tables. That Sir Frederick may have been a handsome face, but he had the brains of a dog. He wouldn't stop licking his lips at Bridgette, and his eyes kept glancing down at her –

The princess's thoughts halted when she spotted her little sister in the crowd. Truth be told, Marinette was the only one in the room dressed in bright red. But that's not what astounded Bridgette. What astounded her was the dashing, golden-haired boy in the cat mask dancing with Marinette... and the dreamy gleam they exchanged every time their eyes met.

Bridgette's face went slack with surprise. Could that be the boy Marinette had spoken of earlier? The one she had indirectly indicated she was in love with?

"Well, isn't that curious?"

Bridgette nearly squealed as her father's booming voice sounded next to her. The princess scowled up at King Thomas as he looked over the crowd at his youngest daughter.

"I don't think I've seen Marinette look so... well, _Marinette_ in a long time," he said in a fascinated tone. "In fact, I don't think I've seen her like this around _any_ boy before. Not even Theo."

"Yes, that _is_ curious," Queen Sabine said from the other side of him. She was so small compared to her husband that Bridgette almost didn't notice her.

The queen peaked over at her eldest, her grey eyes sparkling with interest. "Bridgette, who is that boy dancing with your sister?"

Bridgette feigned ignorance. "I don't know, Mother," she said with a shrug. "I don't believe I know him."

Tom grinned. "Marinette certainly does," he said. Then he squinted and exclaimed, "Hold the wine, I know that boy! He's that charming page fellow, Aidan du... What was it again?"

"A page?" Bridgette raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "He has the posture of a _prince_."

"He _is_ charming," Sabine mused, "and he seems much humbler than most."

Tom nodded. "And he's got quite the slick in his step," he said. "Don't you think, Bridgette?"

Bridgette nodded absent-mindedly, her mouth curling upwards as she watched that mysterious stranger literally sweep her sister off her feet. "Slick... yes," she murmured. "Very slick indeed."

* * *

Soon enough, almost everyone in the room was eyeballing Princess Marinette and her mysterious yet handsome partner.

Sadly, that did not exclude her soon-to-be sister-in-law.

Princess Chloe emerged at the top of the grand staircase, exhausted from her whole ordeal with helping Theo choose a proper new ensemble. Why did boys have to have such terrible taste in finery?

Chloe was just starting down the stairs – eager to clear her jumbled, agitated mind with some wine – when she finally spotted Marinette... and the boy dancing with her who was clearly _not_ her brother.

Despite the stranger's fetching appearance, Chloe was far from impressed with this new development. _Must I do everything myself?_ Sadly, she was the heir to the throne of Bourgeois, and with her father "incapacitated", that left her in charge. _The pains I go through to keep order around here_.

Chloe finally reached the bottom of the stairs and searched the room until she found her target: the royal herald. "Hey, you, Rooster Boy!" she called haughtily. "Get over here!"

The flabby old fool scurried over to the princess and bowed as low as his chub of a belly would let him. "Yes, Your Highness?" he panted like a dog.

Chloe jabbed a finger in Marinette's direction. "That boy dancing with my brother's bride," she snapped. "I want his name!"

The herald cringed. "Yes, uh... Just a moment, my Princess," he stammered as he fumbled with the stack of invitations in his hand. Several of them cascaded to the floor like leaves.

Chloe let out a snarl from the back of her throat. _Bumbling idiot_. She made a mental note to order a new herald once she had the gold to do so. But _that_ would only happen once Marinette and Theo were married. And right now, Chloe was getting this gnawing feeling that the whole plan was starting to slip through her fingers.

"Ah, here we are!" the herald _finally_ said as he squinted at the golden ticket. "Sir Aidan du Bois."

"Du Bois?" Chloe let out a crude laugh. "What kind of a name is that? And I'd _hardly_ call him "Sir". He looks more like a... like a..." The princess trailed off as she focused on Marinette's partner more closely.

The golden-hair, the piercing green eyes, the black attire, the sly figure... It all seemed eerily familiar to Chloe. _Too_ eerily familiar.

"Did he arrive alone?" the princess asked the herald.

The man shook his head, even though Chloe never once looked in his direction. "No, Your Highness. He was accompanied by Lady Nathalie of Sancoeur."

Chloe's eyes narrowed in thought. "Sancoeur... Sancoeur..." she grumbled. She groaned and ran a hand over her tight golden bun of hair. She always kept track of every single nobleman and woman in Bourgeois, worthy or not. But this Lady Sancoeur... Didn't she originally hail from the kingdom of Agreste?

Chloe scowled and shook her head. "Never mind," she said more to herself rather than the herald. "The real question is... What is that Du Boar, or whatever his name is, doing with my brother's fiancée?"

The herald fidgeted with the other invitations. "They're... just dancing?" he offered, like a student trying to impress his teacher.

The princess finally acknowledged the man with a sarcastic smile. "Yes," she sighed dreamily. "They're just dancing. Together. With such passion. Such fervidity..." Chloe's voice lowered into a snarl and her face darkened with bitterness as she turned back to the dancing couple. "And... why is she _smiling_ at him like that?"

"I...don't know, Your Highness," the red-faced herald squeaked. "I just read out the names of the guests."

" _Ugh_. You are no help at all," Chloe scolded sharply. "Go find something else to read about, unless even _that's_ too difficult for you."

The herald hung his head and wobbled away like a wounded horse.

Meanwhile, Chloe shot the cat-like stranger an even darker look.

Marinette always did have the most ridiculous smiles, but _that_ particular one – appearing flabbergasted _and_ gooey-gooey at the same time... Chloe only remembered Marinette looking like that once before:

On the day their carriage was robbed on the Troll Road.

A shroud of a thought plagued Chloe's mind. _No, it couldn't possibly..._

 _Could it?_

* * *

When he had been a small boy, Adrien once told his mother that the first girl he would dance with would be the girl of his dreams.

Queen Vivienne had laughed and told her son, "You will have your first dance with many girls, Adrien, but only one of them will earn herself a second dance with you. _That_ girl will win your heart."

Now, gazing deeply into his lady's eyes, Adrien wished that second dance would happen now.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Marinette asked softly.

Adrien blinked at her. "Do you not want me to?"

His princess's face fell with surprise. "No!" she quickly said before shaking her head. "I mean, no it's fine! It's just... Yeah, it's nice." She looked away, cheeks red with embarrassment.

Adrien's own cheeks became warm. He remembered what he had told Marinette when they'd first met: _True love? Doesn't exist._ It made Adrien want to hang _himself_ up in a net. A small snort escaped him.

"What's so funny?" Marinette asked as they both held each other out at arm's length.

The thief got down on one knee – as part of the routine, mind you – and held his lady's hand as she stepped gracefully around him. "I was thinking about what we said to each other back in the Enchanted Forest," Adrien explained, "about true love and all that fairytale nonsense. And..." He waited until Marinette came back around before he went on, "And it got me thinking..."

A lengthy pause hung between them before Marinette raised her eyebrows at him curiously. "Yeeesss?"

"Huh?" Adrien shook his head vigorously. Why was he acting like a dunce all of a sudden? He stood up and brought both their hands together again. "Sorry," he said with a mirthless chuckle. "This conversation sounded a lot easier in my head."

His Ladybug giggled sweetly. "I don't believe it: the Cat's actually got his own tongue?"

That made Adrien frown. "That wasn't funny," he said bitterly.

"No need to be so sensitive, Kitty," Marinette teased as she rolled her eyes at him. "All I'm saying is... Ever since we've known each other, you've been hunted, chased, shot, nearly drowned, and nearly crushed by a walking boulder." Her voice shook as she spoke, as though the memory of it all still haunted her.

Adrien's expression softened as Marinette placed her hands on his shoulders.

"And through all of that," his Ladybug said, her blue eyes deepening with appreciation, "you were never _once_ afraid to speak your mind, whether you were brave or scared, proud or hurt, or even just being a pest. It's..." She paused and smiled bashfully. "It's not a quality you normally see in every prince you meet."

Adrien's heart melted at her words. He smiled at her gratefully and said, "I must have become quite the pest, then, to catch _your_ eye, my lady."

Marinette laughed as the waltz finale began.

Adrien hoisted her up by her waist and twirled her around. Her midnight hair blended perfectly with the night sky above, the lantern lights outlining it in gold, and her face was almost as bright as the stars.

He held her up there longer than he should have, but at that point, neither of them cared about the waltz anymore. As Adrien slowly lowered her down, Marinette wrapped her arms around his neck. He could feel her soft fingers brushing his heated skin.

"Whatever it is you came here to tell me," she whispered, "just tell me. I'm here for you." She spoke with the same tone she used back when she had fixed his shoulder. "I'm always here for you, Adrien."

The thief's eyes widened. At the same time, Marinette gasped and covered her mouth, her pupils thinning with shock.

She had said his real name without meaning to... and yet, she had said it like it was a balm to her heart. She had spoken directly _from_ her heart, all while forgetting who they both were and the risks they were taking.

They both stood still and silent as the waltz ended and the applause began. Not once did either the princess or the thief try to let go of each other.

Adrien took a deep breath and let it all out. _It's now or never. I have to know._

And so he spoke: "Let's say – hypothetically – someone wanted to be with you... and that same someone couldn't promise you anything in life except who he was and what he felt for you." Adrien swallowed and asked, "Would you want to be with him?"

Marinette took a sharp breath, her mouth parted slightly in an "O".

Sweat soaked through Adrien's tunic, but the thief carried on, "Even if being with him meant you could never life your life the same way again..." His hopeful green eyes drove deep into her awestruck blue ones. "Would none of it matter as long as you had each other?"

It wasn't _exactly_ what he wanted to tell her – in fact, it was supposed to be only three words long, not two long questions.

His red, spotted princess continued to stare at him thoughtfully... almost like she did when he had put on her emerald ring back on that hill a month ago.

And just when Adrien was beginning to think he ruined the entire moment...

 _BAM!_

Someone else beat him to it.

Every head in the ballroom snapped towards the iron doorway, which had been sealed shut once all the guests were present and accounted for. Now the doors flung open seemingly of their own free will, and a tall figure dressed entirely in dark purple stepped courteously onto the golden floor, the metal end of his cane tapping it wherever it landed. The lantern light almost seemed to reflect off of the silver mask that covered his entire face.

A face Adrien had not seen since his mother had been cursed and a brainwashed Nino had tried to carve his beating heart out.

Adrien's innards turned to ice. _Shit!_

"Sorry I'm late," Lord Hawkmoth called to the hushed crowd, his mouth twisted into a cruel sneer.

Beside him, Adrien felt Marinette stiffen and draw closer. "Is... Is that... _him_?" she breathed.

Adrien only nodded with a narrowed expression.

The guests scrambled out of the king's way in a flurry of skirts and feathered masks. Off to the side, Adrien saw Marinette's parents and older sister whispering fearfully amongst each other. King Thomas looked like bear sensing a threat, and Queen Sabine moved closer to Princess Bridgette as though to shield her from harm.

But one royal didn't seem fazed at all by the Sorcerer King's sudden arrival.

Adrien watched dumbstruck as Princess Chloe gathered up her pretty little skirts and treaded over to his stepfather as though he were nothing but a regular guest.

"What a pleasure, my king," Chloe announced for all to hear as she curtsied. "I thank you for honouring my brother's upcoming marriage with your presence."

Hawkmoth merely dipped his head at her. "And thank _you_ for your generous hospitality, Princess," he said, speaking in that same cavernous voice Adrien remembered from his childhood... and his nightmares.

There were several apprehensive murmurs from the crowd. Adrien quickly glanced around and managed to find Alya and Nino. The former was signalling their other friends to make a quick but discreet getaway before anyone noticed them. Not far from the two bandits, Nathalie caught Adrien's eye and shook her head at him. It was her way of saying "Don't do anything stupid".

Even though he wore a mask, Adrien wanted so much to turn his back to his stepfather for fear of being seen. But trueborn nobles never looked away unless they had something to hide.

"Damn it," Adrien hissed, suddenly feeling restless, "That definitely wasn't part of the plan."

Marinette gripped his arms to steady him. "Calm down," she whispered. "This is for a royal wedding. Hawkmoth probably would have taken it personally if Chloe hadn't invited him." The princess shot a death glare at her fiancé's sister. "Although, she could have mentioned _earlier_ that she added him to the guest list!"

Up ahead, Hawkmoth said to Chloe, "I hope you don't mind, but I've brought some friends with me."

He snapped his fingers, and everyone gasped as five Akuma Guards marched into the room and stood proudly behind their master.

"Okay, _don't_ calm down," Marinette uttered as she tugged on Adrien's hand. "Quick, this way!"

Keeping an eye on the new arrivals, Adrien followed his lady through the thick swarm of bodies and behind one of the tall marble pillars surrounding the open ballroom. Beyond it sat a small garden of flowers and shrubs, and beyond _that_ stood the towering brick wall.

Adrien gulped. _If I had a rope and a pair of chisels, I could scale that wall easily_.

Just then, Marinette pulled him too far forward towards her, causing their bodies to press together. They glanced up at each other with wide eyes, and Adrien smiled awkwardly. _Well..._ this _isn't so bad, at least_.

Another booming voice shattered the moment: "What is the meaning of this?!"

Adrien and Marinette refused to peek around the pillar, knowing they would both be seen if they did. Besides, they both knew who had spoken.

"Lord Hawkmoth!" Prince Theo called, his voice descending from the top of the stairs. "This is my engagement celebration. You have no right to bring armed men in here!

"Fret not, Theobard," the Sorcerer King assured darkly. "None of your guests will come to any harm... so long as they stay out of my way. And where, pray tell, is your beautiful bride-to-be?" The sarcasm was unmistakably evident in Hawkmoth's tone. "Not off somewhere with any foreign criminals, I hope."

Adrien exchanged a worried glance with Marinette.

"Whatever do you mean?" Theo spat.

Hawkmoth's voice rose an octave as he addressed the entire ballroom, "I have reason to suspect that Cat Noir, the rogue wonder, has infiltrated this lovely gathering. Though perhaps it's time you all learned his true identity: Prince Adrien of Agreste, my traitorous stepson."

This time, no one was keeping quiet. The entire ballroom erupted into conversation. Adrien caught a few sentences in the jungle of sound:

"Did he just say Prince Adrien?"

"Is he here... in this room?!"

"Cat Noir is King Gabriel's son?"

"The Queenslayer, here?"

Adrien felt a knot of anger twist inside of him. _I didn't kill my mother_ , he wanted to tell them all. But it was the word of his stepfather – a mighty king who could sway the minds of practically anyone with his magic – against the word of an exiled prince with nothing to support him.

Marinette let out a startled gasp as a serving girl appeared from around the pillar, her auburn hair whipping around her head as she turned to face the pair.

Adrien sighed with a smile, but didn't say a word. He gave his Ladybug a quick look that said, "She's a friend."

"The others made it out," Alya whispered. "Nathalie's going to grab the carriage and meet us in the town square. You head through the gardens until you get to the west guard tower, and then wait for Jul's signal. She'll lower you a rope and get you out of there."

Without so much as a "goodbye" or even a "good luck", Alya slipped back into the perplexed crowd.

Adrien and Marinette looked back into each other's eyes. He bit his lip and grasped her hand tightly. He couldn't leave now, not when he still needed to tell her –

Then he saw that familiar sharp edge in her eyes. The last time he saw it, she had killed four Akuma Guards at the River Marsh.

"Go, Adrien," Marinette mouthed, softly enough so that only he could hear. "I'll keep him occupied while you slip away."

The thief's heart skipped a beat. "No, Ladybug... you have no idea what he's capable of!" he hissed.

"Maybe not," his lady admitted, "but what can he do to me? He won't risk straining ties with Bourgeois as long as I'm Theo's fiancé."

Adrien's heart sank. _Does this mean she'll_ stay _Theo's fiancé?_ He shook his head and breathed, "All right, but... you still need to answer my question."

They both jumped as Hawkmoth shouted, "Search the grounds! Cover every possible exit!"

Adrien swore. Akumas were coming.

Just then, he felt a hand caress his cheek. He looked up and his knees nearly buckled as Marinette smiled bravely at him. "The next time I find you, I'll tell you my answer," she promised. "Now please, get out of here!"

He didn't want to leave her – not with Hawkmoth, not with Prince Theo, not with anyone – but his lady had spoken. Adrien kissed the back of her hand tenderly. "Be safe, my lady," he whispered.

And before he could change his mind, he pulled free of his princess's embrace and slipped into the darkness of the night, leaving his heart behind him.

* * *

Marinette felt a bit of a chill as Adrien slipped from her arms and vanished like a streak of smoke in the wind. _Good thing he wore black_ , she thought with a sinking feeling in her chest.

She knew he had to leave, but she wished he hadn't. She still heard the music from the waltz in her ears; still felt the rushing sensation in her blood from when he had lifted her into the air effortlessly; still heard those heartfelt words he had said to her:

 _Would you want to be with him?_

 _Would none of it matter as long as you had each other?_

Marinette knew her answer long before Hawkmoth had burst into the ballroom.

And speaking of the devil...

The princess put on her royal angry face – the one she often saw her father wear when dealing out punishment to lawbreakers – and stepped back into the ballroom. The crowd immediately pulled apart like ripples in a pool. All that stood in front of Marinette now was the masked sorcerer in all his brooding glory.

"Lord Hawkmoth!" Marinette called in her Ladybug voice.

The Sorcerer King turned to her, and the moment their eyes met, Marinette now understood why so many people feared him. A lust for power drove this man, evidenced by the years of jealousy, bitterness and paranoia the princess could see in his piercing blue eyes. They seemed to stab right through her like swords of ice.

But Marinette was made of wildfire. "I won't have you or your Akumas intimidate these people on the eve of my wedding," she declared boldly.

Hawkmoth blinked at her for a moment. Then his face softened rather eerily and he swept into a bow, grinning with that devilish charm of his. "Princess Marinette," he purred in a way that made the blunette's bones rattle. "At last we meet."

Chloe appeared rather affronted that the king had bowed to Marinette and not her, but she kept her mouth drawn up tight. Theo, meanwhile, stood aghast and kept glancing between his unexpected guest and his future bride, as though debating which one he should protect first. _My hero_ , Marinette thought bitterly.

"I believe congratulations are in order," Hawkmoth announced as he straightened up, his purple jacket appearing to ripple in the firelight. "I hope that you and your prince will be most happy together."

 _Depends on which one you're referring to_. Marinette bowed her head stiffly. "Theo and I greatly appreciate that. Perhaps it would be better if all of my guests didn't feel the need to cower in your presence." She gave him a sultry smirk. "No offence, but that mask of yours isn't really doing you any favours."

"Marinette..." King Thomas warned from the sidelines.

Hawkmoth merely chuckled from the back of his throat and reached up to stroke her cheek. Marinette inched away from him, but that only made the king smile more.

"It seems our mutual cat friend isn't the only one with claws," he said enticingly. Then he perked up and leaned casually on his cane. "And speaking of whom, you wouldn't happen to know where Cat Noir is, would you?"

Marinette gave him an incredulous glare. "Cat Noir?" She snorted. "Why should I care about the dishonourable thief who attacked me and my fiancé and tried to steal from us?"

The Sorcerer King's eyes never lost their inquisitive gleam. It was like he could see right through the lie and find the truth buried in her soul. "Why indeed..." he murmured.

Marinette bit down on her tongue. _He knows that I know. He probably sensed something the moment Adrien and I broke Stoneheart's curse_.

At that moment, one of the Akuma Guards approached them. "My master," he said, "there's no sign of the boy anywhere, or his rebel friends. We think they might have escaped using one of the guard towers."

Hawkmoth's smile faltered.

If she hadn't been standing in plain sight of the king, Marinette would have placed a hand on her heart and bent over with relief. _Adrien made it out. He's safe_.

Then the Sorcerer King narrowed his eyes at her, and Marinette suddenly wished she could crawl into her skin and hide there. He knew she was involved – she could see it in his eyes – and the silver mask only enhanced the king's hidden fury of being robbed of his victory once again.

"My apologies for the haste of my visit," Hawkmoth finally said through gnarled teeth, "but I'm afraid I must be on my way." He spoke now to Chloe and Theo as well, but his eyes lingered on Marinette. "Perhaps next time, Your Highnesses, you'll choose your guests more carefully. You never know which alliances will be beneficial to you..." The blues in his eyes seemed to turn purple and his voice darkened, "...and which ones will end in disaster."

Marinette clenched her jaw.

King Thomas's voice bellowed across the room, "Are you threatening my daughter, Hawkmoth?"

Hawkmoth grinned at him. "Always the overprotective one, aren't you, Tom?" He then waved his hands out in front of him.

Suddenly, in a puff of purple smoke, a rectangular black box appeared in the king's grasp. "My wedding gift to you, Princess," he declared as he lifted the lid for Marinette and revealed its contents. "Consider it a token of my appreciation for your... _daring talent_."

The princess almost keeled over.

Inside the box was a black crossbow bolt – very much like the one that had pierced Adrien's shoulder.

A red, dizzying haze appeared in the princess's vision. Her breathing came out painfully-slow through her nostrils.

Hawkmoth offered up the box. Knowing she had to play the part of the gracious host, Marinette took it, swallowing a load of bile in her throat as she did so.

"Care for it well, _my lady_ ," the Sorcerer King said with a hint of a threatening snarl. "One little misfire, and the consequences could be... quite messy."

Marinette resisted the urge to jab the bolt right into his neck, mostly due to the memory of all that blood oozing from Adrien's wound. Instead, the princess pressed her lips together and forced herself to look straight into Hawkmoth's eyes. _You won't win_ , she growled at him in her thoughts. Perhaps sorcerers could read minds.

Hawkmoth grinned wickedly, satisfied with her reaction. Then he turned on his heels and proceeded out the door while twirling his cane. His Akuma Guards followed wordlessly behind him.

The ballroom seemed to breathe out a sigh of relief. The people began talking again, but their tones were low and strained with dread.

Marinette didn't move or speak as the party commenced and the musicians picked up their instruments once more. She just stood there, staring out beyond the threshold, gripping the black box so tightly in her hands she hoped it would shatter.

Then the tears finally came. Just two, one from each eye, but they still carried all the hurt and anger Marinette's heart had held back in Hawkmoth's presence.

Warm, gentle fingers rubbed her back, and Marinette breathed steadily again.

Then her sister spoke from beside her, "This could just be the nerves talking, but... you really should have told me that your new Prince Fuzzwilliam was being hunted by the most insidious man of our generation."

Marinette wiped her cheeks and imagined herself in Adrien's arms again; free from fear, free from pain, free from anything trying to destroy them.

It transformed her anger into something much more powerful: hope.

 _Hawkmoth thinks he can scare me that easily_ , she thought with a newfound surge of resolve. _He thinks he can break me... but he's wrong_.

"Yeah," Marinette uttered to Bridgette. "I probably should have mentioned that. My bad."


	10. 2:4: Get the Message?

**MB: This was another one of those long, agonizing "Let's get this over with" chapters. But right after this one, the fun (and the pain) will begin! Mwahahahaha!**

 **Some of you are probably wondering, "Are Tikki and Plagg going to be somewhere in this story?" My answer is... we'll see. ;)**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **PART 2:**

 _ **Chapter 4:**_

 _ **Get the Message?**_

The second she got to her room and closed the door, Marinette raced to the fireplace, which was still roaring with life. Then she ripped the black crossbow bolt out of the box and tossed it onto the burning logs. Then she threw the box in for good measure.

Marinette leaned against the mantle and watched the flames devour the wood. Within an hour or so, both items would be nothing but ash... and so would Hawkmoth's idle threats.

 _He won't win. I won't let him win_.

And yet, she kept hearing his laugh echo off the stone walls. She kept seeing those blue eyes cutting through her like a knife to a block of cheese, hacking her off bit my bit.

But then Marinette thought about her lucky charm on Adrien's wrist... and her courage returned. She sighed and took off her mask. Then she closed her eyes and imagined the warmth from the fire as Adrien – holding her in his arms, giving her strength.

We _won't let him win_.

The door creaked open behind her before slamming shut with a loud _BANG!_

Marinette snapped around, immediately thinking Hawkmoth had heard her thoughts and returned here to punish her.

But it was only Chloe.

She had removed her mask as well, revealing those slender eyes that now glared at Marinette with disdain. "You really take me for a fool, don't you?" the princess of Bourgeois grumbled. "You thought I wouldn't be able to put all the pieces together: the smiles, the dreamy glances, the secrecy..."

Marinette placed her hands on her hips. "I give up," she sighed dramatically. "What do you want, Chloe?"

The blonde approached the blunette in small, delicate steps. "Lots of things," Chloe replied as though it was obvious. "A new wardrobe, a new carriage, better servants, a renovation in the dining hall... and some salted caviar. But firstly," she added more coldly, "I want you to tell me what's going on between you and Prince Adrien."

 _Just when things couldn't get any worse tonight_. "Who?" Marinette asked.

"Oh, spare me," Chloe said, unimpressed. "Why else would your fancy feline take off the moment the King of Agreste arrived?"

Now Marinette was the one being serious – eyes narrowed, lips firm. "Hawkmoth is no king," she stated.

"And your "Cat Noir" is no prince, is he?" Chloe asked with a smirk. She let out a pig-like giggle before saying, "I never imagined you could be so _scandalous_ , Marinette – throwing yourself at a notorious blaggard and then sneaking him into someone else's castle." She glanced upward thoughtfully. "Now that I think about it, I _am_ curious. Is dancing the _only_ thing you two do together?"

The room suddenly became hotter in Marinette's perspective. "It's not like that, Chloe!" she snapped. "We've never even...!" She stopped herself, took a deep breath, and explained in a softer tone, "I haven't seen him in a long time. I didn't even know he was coming here tonight." Her eyes drifted off as she remembered spotting Adrien in the ballroom, and she smiled. "But he found me."

Chloe's face darkened once more and she spelled out two small words: "Forget him."

Now Marinette was the one smirking. "You speak as if that's so easy," she mused.

"Nobility is not meant to be easy," the princess of Bourgeois stated flatly. Her blue eyes burned with ice-cold fire fueled by years of power and self-indulgence. "All this wealth that we have, the things that we do help our kingdoms prosper – you think that comes without a price?" Chloe exhaled through her nose like a dragon about to lose its temper. "You think _you_ get to live your "happily ever after" while everyone else pays for your happiness?"

Marinette shook her head. "I never asked for any of this," she insisted. "I never even asked to be Theo's bride!"

Chloe feigned empathy. "You were _chosen_ , Marinette," she said. " _You_ – the second-born princess, the _spare_ – were given this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to unify two of the most powerful kingdoms in the realm." Chloe's eyes narrowed. "At least _try_ to be grateful for that."

Instead of being grateful, Marinette took a defiant step closer. "It wasn't charity you were thinking of when you suggested the marriage, Chloe," she said in a low tone. "It was the only way to save _your_ kingdom; to cover up _your_ mistakes."

Spots of red appeared on Chloe's face, and she clenched her jaw rather hideously. "Watch yourself, girl," she growled ominously. "I did not stake everything I have on this marriage just to have some "true love" nonsense throw it all away. This is a choice _you_ made – honour it!"

But Marinette stood her ground. "The only choice I intend to honour is my choice to love Adrien!" she declared, feeling a sensation of pride when Chloe reeled back. "And nothing you say will ever change that!"

A dark pall of silence hung between the two princesses, broken now and then by a crackling snap from the fireplace.

Then Chloe – much to Marinette's confusion – smiled. It wasn't a smirk or a fake grin, but a genuine sweet smile, like warm spiced honey. "Suit yourself," the blonde said with a shrug. "It is _your_ choice, after all." She then lifted her hand and began admiring her nails as though she had nothing better to do.

Marinette blinked, unconvinced by how easily swayed Chloe was. _What is she up to?_

Her fears were confirmed when Chloe raised a sly eyebrow at her. "I should warn you, though: conspiring with and fraternizing with a wanted criminal puts a heavy stain on a royal reputation," she advised. "One that would leave your parents ultimately shattered and humiliated."

A harsh rumbling noise filled Marinette's ears. It was one thing to have Chloe threaten _her_... but her _parents_?!

Chloe sneered at her reaction. "And don't get me started on the possibility of both of our kingdoms become eternal enemies," she added. "I'd hardly think Bourgeois would ever forgive Dupain-Cheng for walking out on a promising peace treaty."

Marinette couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Are you _blackmailing_ me?" she asked, her voice almost cracking.

"I'm merely reminding you of what's at stake here, _Ladybug_ ," Chloe hissed, her tone deadly-low. She then waved a finger in the appalled blunette's face. "Do whatever it takes to get that boy out of your head, because nothing is going to stop this wedding. _Nothing_."

The princess of Dupain-Cheng opened her mouth retaliate, but she couldn't find her voice anymore.

Taking her silence as to meaning the discussion was settled, Chloe stomped towards the door as regally as a princess would, her heavy dress dragging along the floor. Marinette watched the golden queen bee disappear into the brightly-lit corridor before the door clicked shut behind her.

Marinette rubbed at her temples and began pacing around the room feverishly.

The wedding was in two days. Maybe she could find some loophole in the marriage contract that Chloe might have overlooked. Maybe Marinette could implore her parents to annul the marriage. Maybe she could convince them that what she and Adrien felt for each other was real...

The princess paused. _Did_ Adrien feel the same way for her? He was kind of being vague about the whole thing when he had asked her his question. Had he been referring to himself or just anyone in general?

Marinette shook her head. She was letting her frustration and anxiety get her all riled up. She needed to think. _If only I could speak to Adrien again. If only I could tell him how I feel._

At that moment, the princess's eyes fell on the polished stationary by the window. Fresh sheets of flat parchment sat untouched on the desk, along with ink and quills.

A confident grin lit up Marinette's face. "Nothing, huh?" she asked as she rushed over to the stationary and sat down. "Try and stop me."

She laid out one of the parchments before her. Then Marinette picked up a quill and dipped it into the pot of ink. After a few seconds, she put the quill to paper: " _Dearest Adrien_ ," she began.

It took only a short moment. In the end, Marinette smiled with satisfaction and waited for the ink to dry before rolling the parchment up into a small, tight roll.

She excused herself from her chambers and made her way ever-so-discreetly to the Aerie, the pigeon coup in the south spire of the castle. It was harder to ascend the steps due to her long dress – and it was colder too. But Marinette gritted her teeth and ignored the bitter breeze.

Once she made it to the top of the Aerie, she spotted several filthy birds' nests. Only a rare few were occupied. No doubt it was because of the horde of wedding invitations Chloe had sent out to almost every delegation in the neighboring kingdoms.

Luckily, Marinette found one pigeon that was still awake: one with snow-white feathers and beautiful pink eyes that perked up upon seeing the princess.

Marinette gently picked up the bird and tied the message onto its leg. Then she walked outside to the tower battlements and looked out into the open world.

The moonlit sky shimmered above the sea of dark hills and treetops. It all seemed so enormous. How could Marinette possibly know if her message would reach its rightful destination... in the right time? But the princess stroked the pigeon's back with optimism. This was Bourgeois. Here, even the pigeons were well-trained.

"Find Adrien in the Enchanted Forest," Marinette whispered to the bird pleadingly. Then she launched it into the air.

It fluttered away like it knew exactly where it had to go. Marinette prayed with all her heart that it did.

 _Find him_.

* * *

Morning came too slow for Adrien. So did the afternoon.

Adrien lay on his back in a field of tall grass just outside the Enchanted Forest, arms behind his head as he gazed up at the shifting bushels of grey clouds. He chewed on the end of a grass stem, swishing it back and forth between his teeth in contemplation.

The weather was surprisingly warmer today, and the sun was shining. But it did nothing to lift the young prince's spirits.

The escape from Castle Bourgeois had been a walk in the woods, but once Nathalie's carriage had rolled out of town, Adrien felt like it hadn't been a total victory. His former governess had noticed the thief's vacant, dismal expression as he and the Seven Bandits prepared to leave her manor – each one dressed in their usual garb again. To his relief, Nathalie didn't press the matter, even when they had made their goodbyes.

"You should leave the kingdom for a while," Adrien had suggested. "Maybe go to that summer cabin we all used to visit when I was little. Or go see a distant relative. Just steer clear of Hawkmoth and the Bourgeois in any way you can."

Nathalie assured him she would make arrangements right away. "Perhaps you should take your own advice," she had said. "Leave the kingdom, Adrien. Come back when you're older, or with an army. Get away from all of this."

But Adrien knew couldn't leave, not as long as Hawkmoth sat on his father's throne and oppressed his mother's people. Not to mention he still needed to free Queen Vivienne from her sleeping curse. And then there was Ladybug...

The thief spat out the grass in his mouth before sitting up. Castle Bourgeois sat on the horizon, just on the other side of the valley where the great lake was. That tall, glistening spire was where Ladybug – no, Princess Marinette – was now, preparing for her wedding tomorrow.

Adrien tired to ignore the bob in his throat. _Why didn't I just come clean with her at the ball?_ He cursed himself. _Why did I wait so long to see her?_

Now it was too late. Even if Marinette cared about him, there was no way Bourgeois was going to rescind the arrangement. Adrien knew what kind of person Princess Chloe was the moment he saw her: a proud, pampered daddy's girl who took pleasure in taking charge of everyone else's lives.

Adrien straightened up and stretched his arms out in front of him. That's when he noticed the lucky charm he still wore on his right wrist. Curious, Adrien angled his arm in different directions, and the beads on the red string slid up and down in a synchronized dance. The large green one with the flower carving reflected the sunlight on its smooth surface.

Suddenly, memories from the night before cascaded over him: the lovely music he couldn't get out of his head; the many lanterns glowing warmly around him as he danced with his lady; the way they had gazed into each other's eyes when he lifted her; their heartbeats joining as one when she pulled him a little too close...

Perhaps... it _wasn't_ too late.

" _Coo-roo, coo-roo_!"

Adrien blinked and looked up just as a white, fluttering bird appeared out of nowhere and hovered in front of him.

The sudden itchiness in his nose came, and Adrien sneezed.

The pigeon backed away, then flew back and landed on the thief's outstretched arm.

Adrien sneezed again. "Sorry, little guy," he groaned as he wiped his nose on his sleeve. "I'm allergic to feathers... _Achoo_! No offence."

The pigeon just stared at him with those weird pink eyes and lifted its leg.

Adrien sniffled and peered at the tiny roll of paper through his tear-streaked eyes. Trying very carefully not to sneeze on the bird, Adrien wiggled the string off until the roll fell into his hand. Then the pigeon spread its wings and took off into the air.

Adrien quickly took out a handkerchief and blew his nose. It was almost hilarious, actually: a boy calling himself "Cat Noir" who couldn't stand to be near any kind of bird.

Once he finally got his sinuses cleared out, Adrien eyed the roll of paper suspiciously.

Who had sent it, and how did they know where to find him? It could very well be a trap – Rose and Alya often spoke of written spells that had devastating effects whenever ordinary people read them. Adrien huffed. _I'll open it, and if it's something in a made up language or has strange symbols on it, I'll tear it up. And if it's from Hawkmoth... I'll tear it up and eat it. And if it's from..._

 _Wait... could_ she _have sent it?_

Unsurprisingly, curiosity killed the cat.

Adrien unrolled the parchment, immediately catching glimpses of beautiful, cursive handwriting. His heart did a flip-flop and he started from the beginning, which had his name on it:

 _Dearest Adrien,_

 _At the ball, you asked me if I would want to be with someone who couldn't give me anything but who he is and what he felt for me. My answer is yes... and I wouldn't have you, my silly kitty, in any other way._

 _I still don't know if it's your gallant heart or your childish charm, but whatever the case, not a day goes by when I don't think about you. You helped me remember that we have the ability to choose the happiness we so desire. And in that revelation, I realized that you, Cat Noir, are more than just my partner and my friend: You are my happiness._

 _But I also realized that it wouldn't be fair to not allow you to choose your own happiness._

 _In two days' time, I am to be married. Come to me before then. Come to me and show me you feel the same, and I can promise you that we will be together forever. And if you don't, I will have my answer. But even then, you will always be in my heart. And I will always be,_

 _Your Ladybug_

He read the letter again, slowly in case he misunderstood something. Then he read it again, just because he wanted to.

When he finished, Adrien finally looked up from the paper. His green eyes welled up with fresh tears, and it wasn't from his allergies this time. He couldn't stop smiling – it had grown considerably higher as he had read the letter.

"She loves me," he murmured.

 _Him_ – the prince who had no throne, no kingdom, and no army; the stepson of an evil wizard who wouldn't rest until his heart stopped beating; the thief who had stolen something precious from a stalwart princess and nearly got her killed getting it back; the unlucky Cat Noir, who had believed that true love was only a fairytale while she had dreamed of it her whole life.

And he loved her – the princess who never asked for anything more than what she had; the warrior who defended the meek and innocent with an iron will and a sharp killer instinct; the runaway who sought to forge her own destiny in a world where others decided it for her; the beautiful Ladybug, who wanted to spread her wings and go wherever the wind took her.

All of a sudden, the dry field around Adrien seemed warmer and livelier. The castle in the distance was no longer an intimidating gauntlet of high walls and sealed doors... but more like a structure of building blocks Adrien could easily knock down with a swipe of his hand.

Unable to hold back the triumphant joy in his heart, Adrien let out a shrill, " _She loves me!_ " and fell back onto the ground, pounding his fists into the high heavens. " _Whoo-hoo!_ "

And for the first time in over a year, Adrien felt something more than love erupt inside him; something he had barely clung onto before but now grasped with unrelenting strength:

Hope.

* * *

When Adrien came bursting through the door to the cottage, seven people jerked upright wherever they sat or stood, and seven pairs of wide eyes snapped to the vibrant thief.

Poor Rose fell out of her chair. Max twisted himself up in his hammock. Kim straightened up so fast that he bumped his head on the roof, bending over with a frustrated moan. Juleka and Nathaniel looked like they were in the middle of something (Alya playfully called it "cuddling"). The shape-shifter herself was sitting cross-legged on the bed stitching a ripped patch on Nino's tunic – with Nino still wearing it.

So when the huntsman yelped and leapt back, he dragged all of that loose stitching with him – and Alya too. The two lovers crashed onto the wooden floor with the huntsman on the bottom and his girlfriend on top.

Alya winced. "Sorry, honey."

"Oh, don't worry," Nino groaned. "I only hit my head. Nothing important." He then shot Adrien a glare. "Dude! A little warning next time?"

To his surprise, Adrien didn't even _try_ to look the least bit guilty. In fact, he looked like he just ran a lap around the Enchanted Forest. His hair and forehead glistened with sweat and his breaths came out in ragged wheezes. But he wore a grin so big it went up to the roof.

"Ladybug!" he blurted out. "She...! Letter...! Castle...! Loves...!"

Max peaked up at Adrien as Kim helped him get out of his tangled state. "Care to elaborate?" the little black man called.

Nino and Alya lifted each other to their feet and gazed curiously at their friend. Nino knew that quirky look in those green eyes: like he had just been to heaven and back. The huntsman had felt that himself once... on the day he met Alya.

Juleka and Nathaniel tried to help up Rose, but the tiny blonde was already way ahead of them. "Did Adrien just say "loves"?" she asked excitedly. "Who loves what? Or who? Who is it?!"

The golden-haired thief held up something in his hand. It looked like a piece of paper.

After taking a few easier breaths, Adrien finally annunciated, "Ladybug! She sent me a letter... asking me to... come to the castle... because..." His mouth pulled back even more, bearing those princely teeth of his. "She loves me!"

Nino wasn't sure whether he should appear shocked or thrilled. Was there a word for both?

But once again, Rose was the first to act. She let out a happy squeal and threw her arms around Adrien in a tight, proud hug.

Soon, everyone was surrounding the poor boy – embracing him, clapping him on the back, kissing him on the cheek, pounding a fist to his shoulder, or ruffling his hair. Nino mostly did the second and last ones. Then they all got turns reading the letter, and one by one their faces lit up.

"Aww!" Rose sighed before squealing again. "What did I tell you? Love can overcome all obstacles! Oh my god – I'm getting shivers just thinking about it!"

"Hey, Nate," Kim said to their redheaded bard, "maybe you should write a book about it."

Nathaniel rolled his eyes. "If I had time for a book, I wouldn't be hanging out with you mangy vagabonds," he teased.

""Mangy"? Who you calling "mangy"?" Alya snapped at the storyteller. Her amber eyes burned as though she was going to turn fox and nip his fingers off.

Max raised a hand due to his short height. "You all do realize that the odds of perfect romantic pairings happening in an entire lifetime are about slim to none, right?"

Juleka shrugged. "Sometimes you find the right person even when the odds are against you," she deduced, glancing sideways at Nathaniel as she spoke.

"Can't argue with that," Alya broke in, seemingly back to her calm, contented self.

As they all squabbled and laughed and squealed, Nino saw Adrien blush and rub the back of his neck. The huntsman couldn't blame him – he'd be doing the same if his friends made such a big deal out of his relationship with Alya. _He's a lucky man_ , he thought proudly. _I hope he realizes that_.

"So what are you going to do now, bro?" Nino asked, though he already knew the answer.

His best friend grinned, his green eyes gleaming with an idea. "What would any helpless romantic and handsome rogue do?" Adrien asked flamboyantly. "I'm going to crash the royal wedding... before there even _is_ a wedding."

* * *

There was all manner of hustle and bustle in and out of Bourgeois's capital city. The people finished placing decorations all over the fronts of inns, taverns and shops lining the main street. It would be where the royal procession would march after the bride and groom exchanged their vows at the royal chapel. At the front gates of the castle, a gangly palace official holding a long scroll gave instructions for the last minute arrivals that came bearing gifts and supplies for the ceremony.

They all had no idea that their efforts would soon be for nothing.

Adrien strolled casually up the main street and towards the castle. He had no fear of being stopped or questioned because he now wore a white cloak bearing the green-and-gold arms of Dupain-Cheng, which he had swiped previously from one of the convoys entering the city. In addition, he carried a heavy basket filled with freshly-cut red and pink roses. To everyone around him, Adrien was just a wedding florist – not a black-cat prince coming to steal away their princess bride.

He carefully manoeuvred his way through the commotion and stood in line by the gate. Adrien fidgeted as he glimpsed the tall, dark stone structure ahead of him. The castle was much more ominous and intimidating under the veil of night. The golden rims now shined pale green in the moonlight, like phantom wisps from a children's tale. Adrien forced his heart to steady itself. _Soon I'll be high-tailing it out of here... and Marinette will be with me_.

He could already imagine the look on Ladybug's face once he would emerge into her room – her rogue knight coming to rescue his princess. He imagined her running into his arms before he would spin her around, his fingers combing through her hair, his lips brushing against her neck. Then Adrien would look deep into his lady's eyes and whisper those three little words like they were all he had ever learned to say: _I love you_.

Adrien wasn't quite sure exactly how he was going to sneak Marinette out afterwards. Tiptoe through the corridors? Carry her out the window and shimmy down the tower with his princess on his back? Adrien shrugged. Escape plans weren't usually his forte – he normally just improvised.

Finally, it was his turn, but not before the palace official called over his shoulders to the coachmen, "I want that carriage absolutely spotless for tomorrow's journey!" Then the thin man addressed Adrien formerly. "And what is _your_ business here, sir?"

Adrien bowed and presented his basket. "Flowers for the Princess Marinette from the kingdom of Dupain-Cheng," he imparted smoothly.

The official squinted at his list, then at Adrien, and then at the list again. It made Adrien swallow and wonder if Bourgeois was even _expecting_ a florist from Marinette's kingdom. _I knew I should have taken that wine barrel instead_.

Finally, to the thief's relief, the official sighed and beckoned behind him. "Top of the northeast spire," he mumbled. "Take the service stairwell or the guards will toss you over the walls."

"Thank you, sir," Adrien said graciously as he scurried past the man and through the open gate.

And as he trekked across the bailey towards the entrance of the castle, Adrien couldn't help but grin.

* * *

The hallways were so open it was impossible for anyone to wander through them without their footsteps echoing along the stones.

Well, impossible for anyone – _except_ Cat Noir. His steps were swift and feather-light. It was a skill he had to learn while hiding out in a forest where the smallest rustle of leaves or the crunch of a twig could give him away.

Once he was sure there were no guards, attendants or decorators in sight, Adrien placed his basket of roses down on one of the tables. Then he shed his white cloak and hung it on a pole held by a suit of armour. "As you were, good sir," the thief whispered playfully as he hurried on towards the eastern side of the castle.

It felt weird, being inside a castle again after so long. While it wasn't as overly-lavish as Castle Agreste, Adrien had to admit that this place brought back memories of home: playing knights-and-dragons with the serving boys, sneaking to the kitchen to grab a late-night snack, and finding a good place to hide from his nursemaid whenever he got in trouble. _I guess some princes are born rogues_ , Adrien mused, _and some rogues are meant to be princes_.

The way to the northeast spire was no trouble, and Adrien kept track of every turn he made, every door he passed, and every staircase he traversed. The way forward was clear – it was getting back that would be the real challenge.

As Adrien came into a small waiting area with thick stone pillars supporting the ceiling, he heard the sudden sound of a door slamming.

And footsteps... coming this way!

Adrien ducked quietly behind one of the pillars, but then something fell out of his pocket as he did so. He looked with horror to see his letter – _Marinette's_ letter – lying exposed in the middle of the corridor. If whoever was coming found it and read it, they'd report to Chloe... and they would know Adrien was here.

Cursing, Adrien rushed over and snatched up the letter just as a shadow appeared around the corner. Adrien returned to his hiding spot and held his breath, imagining himself as a suit of armour.

The footsteps moved closer, and closer...

Sweat beaded down Adrien's brow as he inched further around the pillar.

Then the person those steps belonged to meandered right past him, utterly oblivious to the intruder.

Adrien peaked around... and almost gasped when he saw a woman dressed in cream-coloured riding leathers, her two tails of midnight-blue hair bouncing over her shoulders.

It was Marinette – his princess, his saviour, his Ladybug.

She was right there, and he had no idea she had walked right by him.

Adrien smiled big and emerged from his hiding spot. His mouth opened to call out her name...

...until someone grabbed the thief from behind, covering his mouth with a rough, gloved hand before he could utter a sound.

Panicking, Adrien writhed and pulled and kicked out with all his might, but whoever had caught him was undoubtedly strong. So Adrien did the only other thing he could – he played dead.

The moment he slumped to the ground, the assailant's grip on him loosened. Adrien snapped his eyes open and bashed the large man on both his ears, leaving him disoriented. Then the cunning rogue rammed his feet into his opponent's stomach and sent him sprawling on the ground before Adrien rolled back up.

But his attacker had brought friends: two Bourgeois guards with swords drawn and pointed right at him the moment Adrien was back on his feet.

Panting heavily, Adrien snapped around... _Ah, crap_.

Two more soldiers blocked the other end of the corridor, their own weapons drawn. And standing between them was a very sassy, very proud, very obnoxious golden-haired beauty.

"Well, well, well," Princess Chloe voiced with a triumphant sneer directed at Adrien. "Look what the _cat_ dragged in, boys." She cackled wickedly and allowed her guards to move in on their prisoner. "See what I just did there?"

Adrien scowled at her, but raised his hands in surrender, wishing he had brought a weapon at the last minute. "Yeah," he grumbled at Chloe. "Hilarious."


	11. 2:5: Lying Low

**PART 2:**

 _ **Chapter 5:**_

 _ **Lying Low**_

Adrien had expected the guards to drag him down into the dungeons. So it came as quite a surprise to him when Princess Chloe instructed her men to escort "Cat Noir" to her private chambers.

And they did, with a bit of resistance on Adrien's part.

It was a cozy bedroom – way too cozy for his taste. There wasn't a speck of flooring that wasn't covered in carpet. Every chair or bench had at least one plush pillow on top of it. It was as though Queen Bee was allergic to anything made of stone or wood. If there was one thing Adrien hated, it was other nobles who thought they were high above everyone else. The ones that treated themselves like breakable china dolls were the worst.

 _If Queen Bee thinks I'll warm up to her like one of her cushions_ , Adrien thought cynically, _I'll gladly throw myself in the dungeon_.

The primped princess arrived not to long after. As she pulled off her gloves and strolled over to her dresser, Chloe snapped her fingers to her guards without looking at them. "Wait outside," she said bluntly.

Adrien glowered at the two men suffocating his arms when they finally released him. As the guards filed out one by one, Adrien quickly glanced around the room. All the windows were closed, and the only other exit was the exceedingly-large fireplace, and _that_ had an exceedingly-large fire going on at its core. _Looks like I'll have to talk my way out of this one_ , Adrien concluded.

Once the door sealed shut, Chloe turned and stalked up to the thief, looking him up and down with her bulbous baby-blue eyes. She hummed and gripped Adrien's chin with her thumb and forefinger, turning his head this way and that. Adrien tried not to wince as her nails bit into his skin.

"So," Chloe finally said, her voice slurring like melted wax. " _You_ are the one." She gave Adrien a smile that made him even more uncomfortable. "I'm starting to see the allure."

Adrien brushed her hand away like a proper gentleman, but affixed her with a look of abhorrence. "I'm flattered, Princess, but you're really not my type," he said.

Chloe frowned and wrenched her hand away. "First of all, that's a bit informal, wouldn't you say?" she growled. "Show some respect, _thief_. It's "Your Highness"." She emphasized that title with a regal bow before straightening up with a sultry pout. "And second of all... why not? You obviously have a taste for fair princesses who like to dress up."

Adrien raised an eyebrow and then shook his head with a snort. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."

Chloe found that oddly amusing. "You and Marinette really _are_ made for each other," she deduced with a slight tilt of her head. "For one thing, you both think I'm an idiot." Then she lifted the roll of parchment in her hands with an evil smirk. "But I know everything."

Adrien clenched his jaw. No point in hiding anything now.

The princess chuckled and fiddled with the letter in her hands. "Perhaps you should add "kingdom sabotage" to your long list of crimes," she said like a disappointed mother scolding her child. "You've poisoned Marinette's heart, threatening my brother's marriage in the process, and now the fate of _my_ kingdom hangs in the balance – all because of your feelings."

Adrien's green eyes sharpened with resolve. "I can't help my feelings for Marinette," he said adamantly. "But neither am I ashamed of them."

Chloe narrowed her gaze, and the room seemed to grow colder to Adrien.

Then she began pacing around him. "Love..." the princess snarled with a bit of a hack as though the word tasted like spoiled wine. "Love is a _disease_ – one that deludes us to the point where we no longer accept reality as it is; where we think whatever we want can happen simply because of our _feelings_."

Adrien kept his face expressionless as Chloe came back in front of him. "Fortunately," she continued, "like all diseases, love can be vanquished in one of two ways." She held up one finger with a tiny smile. "A cure..." She held up a second finger with a menacing glare. "Or death."

Adrien smirked. "Apparently, I'm not the only one lousy at metaphors... or threats," he said boldly.

Chloe brushed that comment off and brought her face closer to Adrien's, making him unconsciously lean away. "Do you know where your Ladybug is right now?" She pointed towards the door. "She's right down that hallway, packing for her honeymoon tomorrow."

Without thinking, Adrien glanced behind him. He imagined Marinette waiting for him beyond the threshold, unaware that the boy she loved had been captured and would probably be executed this very same night. Adrien tried to hide the remorse in his voice. "She'll never know I'm here."

"Oh, don't worry," Chloe said with surprising enthusiasm, "she will."

Adrien turned back her, dumbfounded. "You're... You're going to just let me go?" he asked in disbelief.

That golden-rimmed face perked up into a sweet grin. "Even better," she said. "I'm going to let you walk down that hallway, _Adrikins_ , and go into her room. You're going to "sneak in" – like the dashing rogue you are – and tell Marinette that you've received her letter." She waved the parchment in front of him as if enticing him to take it. "Then you're going to tell her why you're here." Chloe leaned closer again, and the next five words she said came out as nails scrapping against rock: "Because you don't love her."

Adrien reeled back. "What?!" he snapped.

Chloe smiled at him sadistically. "You're going to tell Marinette that you never truly cared about her, and that you two can never be together," she explained. "It'll break her poor little heart. And tomorrow, she will walk down the aisle into my loving brother's arms. _That_ will cure her."

The room seemed to turn a slight shade of red... and so did Adrien. He clenched his fists so badly his fingers turned cold and hard. "What makes you think..." the thief growled at Chloe forebodingly, "...that I would _ever_ do something as cruel and unacceptable as that to her?!"

The blue-eyed bitch didn't seem frazzled at all by his beastly demeanour as she replied, "Because if you don't, I'll use the second option."

Now Adrien was grinning again, only this time more sinisterly. "You'll kill me?"

Chloe bore a wide, toothy smile. "Oh, no, no, no..." she cooed with an evil gleam in her eyes. "I'll kill _her_."

Adrien stopped breathing. His face went utterly slack, and he felt a sharp pinch of dread nipping at the corners of his heart.

 _She didn't just say that... She wasn't being serious..._

But that smug, regal fortitude on Chloe's face told him that she couldn't be more serious.

Adrien's mouth parted. "You'll what?" he breathed in barely a whisper.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Must I repeat everything to you?" she sniped with that trademark icy glare. "Or are you just _that_ clueless?" She sighed. "Killing _you_ would just make Marinette love you even more. Theo's marriage and the entire kingdom would ultimately crumble."

"But if _she_ were to die – say, at an assassin's hand..." Chloe added with a nudge of her chin at Adrien, "she would die a martyr. Bourgeois would forgive the tragedy, even mourn it. Her grief-stricken parents would reward us greatly for bringing their daughter's killer to justice, and the merger between our two kingdoms would be complete."

Rage began building up inside of Adrien. "You would do that to your own brother's fiancé?!" he asked in a raised voice. "To an innocent girl who only wanted –!"

"Innocent?!" Chloe interjected with a sharp snarl. "Innocent... because _she_ is the fairest in the land, adored by every noble and commoner who so much as hears her name being spoken? Innocent because _she_ never has to worry about inheritance or power or reputation? Innocent because _SHE_ didn't have to be cut, molded, and shaped into the perfect little princess by her own parents, who love her unconditionally just for being their daughter?!"

Adrien went rigid as the princess in front of him revealed the darkness inside her at last: pure, unwavering malice shadowing the delicate features of her face, her eyes so rough and stormy they could sink an entire fleet of ships, and her mouth bearing the hungry scowl of a demon waiting to draw blood.

Chloe stroked Adrien's face with her long fingernail, running it along the skin like a knife. "Nothing would please me more," she whispered cruelly with a sharp flick of his chin, "than to choke the life out of her with my bare hands and see if she still looks pretty afterwards." The princess smiled and pulled away with a shrug. "But like I said, the fate of my kingdom hands in the balance."

Now, as he stood precariously on the edge, Adrien understood. This was a woman who had been given everything... except the ability to follow her own heart. This was a woman driven by envy and hatred for a fellow princess who had that kind of freedom. To Chloe, Marinette was just a pawn on the chess board – if push came to shove, Marinette could be sacrificed without a second thought for what Chloe believed was the greater good.

It made Adrien fear for Marinette even more, if she was to marry into this kind of family.

 _She lives marrying Theo, or dies loving me_. _Either way, Chloe wins_. _Either way... I lose Ladybug forever_.

Before he could stop himself, Adrien was standing back in the tunnel of his nightmares, listening to Marinette's horrified screams and being unable to reach her in time.

He had already lost his mother, his father, his home and his life. He couldn't bear to lose the woman he loved as well... not when he had this one chance to protect her. Heart-wrenching dread filled Adrien, and he felt his eyes burn. _Dear god, don't ask me to do this to her_.

He shook his head at Chloe. "You're insane," he spat.

"And _you're_ a fool in love," the princess spat back, her triumphant grin returning, "which is why you are going to do _exactly_ what I told you."

Adrien fiddled with the lucky charm on his wrist... and he hung his head with shame and sorrow.

* * *

Once her pack was filled with the essentials, Marinette double-checked that her quiver had enough arrows. Her Ladybug cloak lay sprawled on the bed, and her travelling boots stood ready to be put on. She also made sure her new fur-trimmed uniform was buttoned up – the weather would only get colder from here on out.

Marinette shivered excitedly from the prospect of her impending escapade. With any luck, she would be out of here before sunrise. She could already see the look on Chloe's face. _If only I could be there when it happens_ , Marinette jeered.

Still, this wasn't going to be an easy decision. King Thomas and Queen Sabine would worry sick for her, and Bridgette – though she understood her little sister better than anyone – would miss her terribly. But Marinette had already written a letter for her family, explaining why she had to leave and the new information she uncovered from Bourgeois' marriage contract.

It hadn't been that hard to uncover, and being a princess had its perks. All Marinette had to do was convince the royal bookkeeper that she wanted to review the details of the union for the sake of Dupain-Cheng. The old man had been very generous, so Marinette felt a little bad about lying to him, but it had been worth it in the end.

For while scavenging through the agonizing fine print of the contract, Marinette uncovered one particular loophole that would change everything: Both kingdoms had no right to declare war on the other if either the bride or the groom – for whatever reason – denied the marriage outright, so long as both kingdoms reached a new, mutually-beneficial agreement on the sharing of lands, wealth, troops, and/or resources.

In short, Chloe's threats meant nothing to Marinette, and she knew for a fact that her parents and King Andre were never the kind of rulers who would immediately resort to violence.

Still, there was only one way that could all happen: Adrien had to come tonight.

So now Marinette double-checked and triple-checked her supplies just to pass the time. And with each long, silent minute that went by, the princess's nerves began to get the better of her. _He'll be here_ , she assured herself. _He's probably on his way up right now_.

 _Unless Adrien hasn't received the letter yet. Unless Hawkmoth's already tracked him down and..._

Marinette shook her head, furious at herself for allowing such thoughts into her head. Her encounter with the Sorcerer King at the ball still haunted her.

So Marinette breathed in slowly and closed her eyes, re-imagining the moment she caught sight of Adrien in the crowd. She could feel his warm hands intertwine with hers, his breath on her face as they huddled so close together, as he whispered her name...

"Marinette."

Her eyelids flung open. She had definitely not imagined _that_.

The princess turned slowly towards the door of the chambers... and her heart fluttered.

Standing right there, slumped against the door as he carefully inched it closed, was her Cat Noir. Her partner. Her rogue. Her prince.

"Adrien," Marinette said breathlessly.

He nodded rather stiffly, the lines on his face flat and unreadable. "I got your letter," he said as he stepped out of the shadows.

Marinette blinked several times to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Once she was certain of that, her face lit up with joy and her eyes began to water. "You came," she whispered. Just like she knew he would.

Suddenly, nothing was stopping the blunette from running over to Adrien and throwing her arms around his neck. Her momentum caused Adrien to stagger and twirl them both around in their spot. It made Marinette laugh.

Then his arms were around her waist and squeezing her as though he never wanted to let go. She felt his hot breath against her neck, and a warm jingle flowed down her spine.

All the while, Marinette sighed happily, "You came you came you came you came..." At the same time, her thoughts were singing a chorus: _He loves me!_

Now she had no regrets whatsoever in leaving her family, Theo, Bourgeois _and_ Chloe behind – not as long as she had her Cat Noir.

Adrien reluctantly set her back down. That was all right with Marinette. There would be plenty of time for that later.

She smiled up into his eyes and cupped his face in her hands. "Oh, Adrien," she said with a blissful giggle. Then she closed her eyes and leaned closer to him, her lips pursing...

...until he leaned away from her – more like _jerked_ away – and removed her hands from his face. "Wait," Adrien said hoarsely.

Marinette open her eyes, her smile lessening. That's when she finally noticed that he wasn't smiling back at her, or reaching out to touch her. In fact, he seemed so sullen and distant. And he had pulled away from her attempted kiss.

"What's wrong?" the princess asked, her eyes laced with concern.

Adrien's mouth opened and closed several times before he stammered, "I can't... I mean, _we_ can't."

Marinette blinked at him... and then snorted with amusement. "Of course we can, silly kitty," she said encouragingly. "We can go, we can be together... we can leave all of this!"

She clasped his hands tightly and held them against her chest. Adrien stared down at them blankly, his Adam's apple bobbing a bit. _Is he scared?_ Marinette thought. _Is he afraid of what Hawkmoth might do to me if I go with him?_

Well, she was just going to tell him that she didn't care about any of that.

"Look," the princess said more softly, trying to get him to look into her eyes again. "I know there are costs, but I've planned everything." She grinned at him with pride. "I found a loophole in the marriage contract. My family will understand, and Chloe will have no choice but to honour it. Trust me, Adrien – she can't hurt us."

Her thief finally glanced up at her, but once again his face remained perfectly impassive.

Marinette sighed and went on, "And now that I know you love me too –"

" _I don't_."

She stopped and frowned, her breath catching.

It wasn't just those two little words he said that hit her hard. It was the _way_ he had said them: so straightforward, so remorseless, so... _cold_.

"What?" Marinette asked, her eyebrows drawing together with confusion.

Adrien shook his head at her. "Love you," he replied. "I don't."

Now the princess's face softened and her eyes widened with shock. He didn't... He didn't actually say...

"I'm sorry," Adrien said with a heavy sigh as he pulled out of her grasp. "This was all a mistake."

Marinette felt her hands go numb all of a sudden. She felt the iciness in his gaze sear into her bones, making her shiver. "I don't understand..." she uttered. _Why is he saying this? Why is this a mistake?_

Adrien straightened up and gave her a narrowed look, like he was disappointed in her answer. "You really don't know?" he asked. "You have a family, Marinette – a future, a chance to be happy. _I_ don't." He hung his head in shame and reached into his pocket. When his hand emerged, it was carrying a small, crumpled piece of folded paper. "You said I would always be in your heart and..." Adrien swallowed hard and shook his head. "...and that is too cruel a fate."

 _My letter_ , Marinette realized. _He_ did _get it!_

But then... why was here, if only to tell her what was slowly starting to break her heart?

Marinette glanced back up at him in disbelief. "But you... you came to see me at the ball," she insisted. "You came here _tonight_..."

Adrien eyed her broodingly again. "I went to the ball," he explained, "because I wanted to see if I really did have feelings for you; that it wasn't just some... small infatuation." He shook his head with a remorseful look. "But I was wrong."

Now Marinette was shaking her head, and her eyes filled with hot tears. "You don't mean that," she said defiantly... though she had trouble saying it that way. She breathed in with a sniffle. "You can't..."

But her partner – her prince who had always been openly honest with her – placed a reluctant hand on her shoulder, his green eyes unlike the ones she had seen back in the Enchanted Forest. "Go live your life, Marinette," Adrien said in a softer tone, though not without that empty, hollow edge to it. "Live it without me because there is no place for us together, no matter what we do or where we go. Stay here, and fill your heart with love for someone else – someone who can love you the way I never have." He swallowed again and added, "The way I never _will_."

Suddenly, Marinette couldn't stop the tears from falling. "No..." she gasped. She let out a shaky sob and forced herself to look away from him, her eyes squeezed together. "I don't believe you. I don't believe any of this!" She looked up at him again, her face red and wet and shattered. "Adrien... what is going on? Why are you -?"

At that moment, something was being pressed into her open palm. Marinette looked down... and her heart almost cleaved in two.

It was her lucky charm. The one she had given him to remember her by. The one he had worn to the ball. The one he had promised he would never give away.

But now...

"I came here tonight," Adrien said as his fingers once again pulled away from hers, "to give this back to you. I came here to say goodbye, my l-" He stopped himself, almost wincing, before correcting himself coldly, "Your Highness."

Not "my lady". Not "Ladybug". Not even "Princess".

 _Your Highness_... as though every other part of who she was meant nothing to him.

This time, Marinette didn't try to look up at him as he turned and left her alone. She just stared down at the charm in her hand. It seemed heavier than it looked, but all the more fragile... just like her heart.

She heard the door screech open, saw his shadow on the floor pause for a moment. Then he slipped through the threshold and was gone. He didn't even bother to close the door.

She should run over and slam it shut. _Hard_. Let him know exactly how much pain he had left her in.

But Marinette couldn't bring herself to do it.

Instead, she clutched the charm to her chest and cried silently. All the while, she cast a pleading gaze towards the open doorway.

Even when no one came, even when the rest of the castle fell asleep and the cold night air seeped into her room, Marinette left the door open.

* * *

The night was cold. The ground was colder.

But Adrien's heart was the coldest of all.

The moment he had turned away from Marinette, he let the tears fall. He had stopped in the middle of the doorway, wondering if she was going to call him back. When she didn't, he stole back into the hallway... unable to bring himself to close the door in front of her.

The guards did not bother Adrien as he waddled down the hallways and out the front gates of the castle. Chloe had made sure of that.

Now Adrien was back in the Enchanted Forest, making his way aimlessly through the trees. The glowing moon above taunted him with its cold, heartless, unyielding light. _Just leave me alone!_ He wanted to shout at it.

He'd had enough of it all: moons, stars, trees, castles, princesses, beaded bracelets... everything.

Adrien didn't know how far he had walked, or how long it had been since he left Castle Bourgeois. Quite frankly, he no longer cared.

But then his treacherous heart made him look back at the gleaming towers sticking out of the treetops like daggers. If only he could pick up one of them and put himself out of his misery.

 _She'll never forgive me for this_ , Adrien thought wretchedly.

It killed him to realize that lying to Marinette had been so easy; that he was able to appear like he didn't give a damn without a single twitch or blink to betray him; that all those unforgiveable words had just flowed out of his mouth like he had freaking rehearsed them.

 _She'll never forgive me... and I'll never forgive myself._

Moonlight blinded his teary vision, and Adrien turned away and staggered back into the dark, endless expanse. But no matter how far he went, he couldn't get his lady's pain-stricken face out of his thoughts.

Then Nino's face appeared. Then Alya's. Then Rose, Kim, Max, and then Nathaniel and Juleka. They all would be wondering where Adrien was. They were probably waiting anxiously by the window for him and his Ladybug to emerge hand-in-hand down the moonlit path to the cottage.

Adrien stopped in his tracks.

How could he face his friends after what he had just gone? How could he stand to be near such wonderful, good people when he had performed the most vile, egregious act imaginable?

Everyone he loved – his mother, the love of his life – had disappeared from his world like dandelions on a breeze. And it hurt every time. He couldn't bear to endure anymore pain like that.

Maybe... Maybe it was better to be alone.

Nino would be furious. He would never let Adrien go anywhere without him. The huntsman had sworn an oath to protect him after the exiled prince had freed him from Hawkmoth's control.

But the only thing that needed protecting had been destroyed. All that was left now was a black, hard stone.

Adrien clenched his fists, his face darkening almost as bad as the shadows around him.

He couldn't afford anymore heartbreak... because he had no more heart to give.

Which also meant he had nothing to lose, nothing to fear.

But he did have something to look forward to; something that would solve all of his problems and finally rid him of this horrible hollowness once and for all:

His stepfather. Gone. For good.

Adrien almost smiled at that.

 _Not just gone_ , he corrected himself, _but destroyed_. _Erased from the history books. Thrown off the face of the earth._

Now that the thief had a taste of the darkness, there was no point in dipping his toes in the water anymore. No point in playing by the rules. No point in playing the "righteous hero".

He lifted his head resolutely and broke into a sprint. "I'm coming for you now... Hawkmoth," he said with a feline snarl.

He was no longer Prince Adrien. That boy would never survive in a world where having a heart didn't get you anywhere.

But Cat Noir, the black-hearted thief, could survive.

And he _would_... but first, he had a king to kill.

* * *

That same king could barely believe what he was seeing through the magic mirror... or what he was _feeling_ , for that matter.

The grief, the self-loathing, the bitterness, the rage, and the thirst for vengeance – it was the most invigorating sensation Hawkmoth had felt in so many years!

He couldn't help but laugh wickedly. "This has turned out better than I ever hoped!" he exclaimed to no one in particular. He gleefully watched Adrien's dark form race through the shadows of the Enchanted Forest. "A poor prince deprived of happiness and purpose in the light, and now he willingly turns to the darkness to ease his suffering," the Sorcerer King mused with another cackle. "I love it!"

All this time, he thought he had to kill King Gabriel's son in order to complete his revenge. But now... this unexpected turn of events was giving him a more promising idea.

Hawkmoth strode eagerly from his chambers and into a small atrium at the top of the centre spire of the castle. The royal family had once used it as a greenhouse; a sanctuary for all kinds of exotic plants and insects.

But once the new King of Agreste had married Queen Vivienne and ascended the throne, he transformed the atrium into his personal breeding ground for a very rare species of butterfly.

Several, tiny pairs of glowing blue wings fluttered in Hawkmoth's presence. Their own iridescent light made them more beautiful than any other butterfly... and more powerful.

Especially when combined with their master's dark magic.

Hawkmoth held out his hand. "Come to me, my little _akuma_ ," he purred.

One of the butterflies flapped obediently towards him and landed on his outstretched palm.

The king placed his other hand over top of the creature in a cocoon. Then he cast his spell. His brooch pulsed with purple energy, and several wisps of it flowed down his arm and through his fingers before striking the little butterfly.

Once it was complete, Hawkmoth presented his newest creation: a butterfly with pitch-black wings adorned with veins of glowing purple.

There was a reason why his soldiers were called Akuma Guards. And now, there was going to be a new member enlisting.

"Time to go on a trip, my friend," Hawkmoth said to the corrupted butterfly with an evil sneer. "It's high time my stepson and I rekindled our old bond."

And as his maniacal laugh echoed throughout the atrium, the remaining blue butterflies scattered fearfully in his wake.


	12. 2:6: Here Comes the Bride

**PART 2:**

 _ **Chapter 6:**_

 _ **Here Comes the Bride**_

Golden light streaked against the capital city like paint on a canvas, and the sky transformed from dark blue into turquoise.

Despite the brisk autumn chill, no one was staying indoors today.

The common folk swept eagerly into the streets dressed in their finest garments, complete with cloaks to keep out the cold. The children were laughing and racing down to the main street of the city while their parents struggled to keep up. The women were huddling and giggling amongst each other in anticipation. The men led the masses to their designated areas, thrilled that they had no need to tend to their farms or shops for one whole day.

The royal wedding was finally here. At last, two mighty kingdoms would be united by a pact stronger than any rule ever written. The decorations were set up, the castle gates were open, and the golden rims of the windows and spires gleamed brightly, as though the gods themselves were blessing this marriage.

Or, at least... that's what everyone thought, until a thunder of bells rang out sharply in the air.

Several people stopped and glanced skyward, the excitement on their faces suddenly switching to anxiety. They chattered and whispered amongst one another. The wedding bells weren't supposed to start ringing until after the ceremony, when Prince Theo and Princess Marinette would become husband and wife.

That's when the truth dawned on them as swift and sure as the sun at their backs:

Those were _not_ the soft, cheerful chimes of the wedding bells signifying happiness and prosperity.

Instead, they were the hard, ominous _warning_ bells... signifying a disturbance or danger within the city.

As the people struggled to understand what was going on, they heard the clatter of hooves against cobblestone, drawing exceedingly closer with every second.

Suddenly, a tiny figure wearing a red, black-spotted hood came charging down the main street on a beautiful white mare.

The people screamed and hurled themselves out of the way, pulling their children to safety. Some of the men had to dive out of the beast's path. Some of the women tripped over their skirts in their haste to get away and fell on top of other people. Children looked up at the figure on the horse as he zoomed by... and they realized with a surge of awe that it was a _she_.

By the time they all gathered themselves back up, everyone had caught a glimpse of the fleeing assailant. None of them could mistake her porcelain face, shimmering blue-black hair and hard blue eyes for anyone else's.

That only left the disarrayed commoners in even more disarray. Why was Prince Theo's bride leaving on the day of her own wedding?!

* * *

Marinette didn't order her horse to slow down until they both reached a small field of tall, dry grass a few miles from Castle Bourgeois. The princess could see the border of the Enchanted Forest just ahead – a wall of twisting trees that led into the mysterious maze within. Brown and gold leaves scattered in the wake of the wind like birds taking off from their perch.

 _I've forgotten how mesmerizing this place is_ , Marinette thought as she patted her mare in gratitude. Then she climbed down from the saddle and stepped onto the crunchy dead grass.

She looked around her, hoping for some kind of sign and knowing that there wasn't any. "Adrien?" she called.

No response.

"Adrien!"

Still nothing.

It was a foolish effort – in fact, it was stupid in every way. But Marinette didn't care.

She fiddled with her lucky charm strapped to her belt. No, _Adrien's_ lucky charm. Marinette had given it to him as a gift, so now it belonged to him... whether he loved her or not. Which meant she was going to call for him, however long as it took, until she found him and gave the charm back.

The princess cupped her hands over her mouth and shouted, "Adrien, are you there?!"

A frightened squirrel scampered for the safety of the treetops. Definitely not Adrien.

Marinette groaned and cleared her throat to call out again.

"Princess Marinette!" a feminine voice called out a few feet away.

The red-cloaked girl turned to the source and was surprised to see a young, auburn-haired, tanned-skin woman trudging towards her.

Wait... Where had she come from? And why were her eyes glowing like twin suns? Marinette blinked, and then the girl's eyes faded to soft amber.

Those same eyes glanced at Marinette's red cloak, and the girl grinned. "Or would you prefer I call you Ladybug?" she asked amusedly, once she had finally caught up to the princess.

That's when Marinette caught a sudden whiff of tree sap and honey in the air. It was coming from the girl. _She must have an aura_ , Marinette deduced as she stared curiously at the stranger. Only those with magic in their veins could give off such powerful, natural aromas.

Marinette looked back into the girl's eyes... and made the connection. "I know you," she said. "I saw you at the ball. You're Adrien's friend!"

The girl nodded. "I'm Alya of the Seven Bandits. I'm looking for Adrien too."

A wave of unnerving fear engulfed Marinette. Of course, any normal princess would have been more afraid of being in the presence of a bandit, especially one with glowing eyes. But Marinette's own safety was the least of her concerns at the moment. The only person at the top of her list was Adrien.

"You mean... he's not with you?" she asked Alya.

"He went to the castle to find you, but he never came back," Alya explained gravely as she brushed some bits of grass and dirt from her clothes. Her hair was also a tangled bird's nest of twigs.

Marinette tried to sound as courteous as possible. "What happened to _you_?"

Alya shrugged with a snort. "Let's just say I have a _special gift_ for tracking other people," she responded with a look of both pride and shyness. "Unfortunately, Adrien's good at covering his tracks – _too_ good. He managed to rub his scent on several different trees to lead me around in circles." She hung her head down in shame. "Now the trail's gone cold. He could be anywhere by now."

Marinette's blue eyes crashed against Alya's amber ones like water on the shore. "I don't care where he is," the princess stated firmly. "I'll find him, and I'll convince him that we belong together." She turned back to her white mare and began retightening the straps of the saddle.

She heard Alya's bewildered voice behind her. "Convince him?"

Marinette glanced over her shoulder and nodded. "Yes," she replied as though the answer meant the word to her. Then she reached into the pocket of her waistcoat, pulled something out, and held it out in the sunlight for Alya to see.

It was her father's emerald ring – the innocuous little trinket that had started it all.

Not long after Adrien had left her chambers, Marinette went over his cold, harsh words again and again, still unwilling to believe them.

Then, just when she couldn't take it anymore, Marinette unconsciously recalled a more pleasant memory: Adrien slipping the emerald ring onto his finger, his eyes meeting hers in a long, amorous glance. That was when Marinette first fell in love with this mischievous, sensitive, charming, loyal and honourable thief.

That same thief was _not_ the one who had snuck into her room last night.

If Adrien truly didn't care for Marinette, why didn't he just stay away? Why did he come back if only to break her heart... _to her face_? There was no way in whatever realm that her prince would stoop that low.

 _Whatever the reason he doesn't want me in his life_ , the princess had finally deduced. _I can't let him go that easily – not without a fight_.

If there was one thing she had learned over the past month, it was that true love was never easy. Once you found it, it stayed with you forever, but you had to fight for it with all your strength in order to keep it strong.

And that's exactly what Marinette was doing now: running away from a life without love and striving for one that had it.

"Adrien may not see it yet," the princess told Alya as she slipped the ring back into her pocket, "but _I_ do. I will always fight for him, no matter what comes between us."

There was a pause, and then Alya said with a sly grin, "It won't be much of a fight."

Marinette narrowed her eyebrows at the female bandit. "Excuse me?" she enquired sharply.

Alya's eyes widened and she held up her hands. "Oh, no, not like _that_ ," she insisted. "What I meant was... There's nothing Adrien wouldn't do for you, too."

Marinette's face slackened. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

Alya's face scrunched with confusion. "Don't you know? Adrien wants to be with you more than anything," she said. "He's crazy for you, Marinette."

The princess shook her head. "Please, Alya, don't mock me," she said with a bit of a bite. "Adrien came to me last night and told me straight out that he doesn't love me."

Alya's jaw dropped. "What?!"

Marinette reeled back from the fiery glint in the redhead's eyes. For a moment the princess saw some kind of feral animal, like a fox protecting its den. Yeah, that seemed to fit Alya pretty well.

The bandit frowned in disbelief and shook her head vigorously. "Okay, _you_ must be the crazy one," she argued with an accusatory finger pointed at the princess, "because that is _not_ what Adrien said when he got your letter. In fact, he wouldn't stop rambling about how he was going to rescue you from that castle like some fancy hero from a storybook. It almost drove the rest of us nuts, actually."

Despite their sharpness, Alya's words slowly began to seal the fractured bits of Marinette's heart. "Wait..." she uttered, her face alit with astonishment. "Adrien was going to take me away?"

Alya's voice softened this time as she responded genuinely, "He was going to break up the whole wedding... because he wanted you to be with him." She smiled warmly. "Because he's in love with you, Marinette."

Suddenly, all of that pain from last night seemed like a fading memory, and a newfound surge of hope swept through Marinette. _He came to the castle to take me away... because he loves me_. She repeated it again and again in her thoughts. And each time, it felt truer than anything she had ever heard.

 _Then why...? Why did he lie to me? He would never lie to me!_

 _Unless... he had no choice_.

Marinette's newly-healed heart began to harden now. _Unless he felt that it was the only way to keep me safe. But from what?_ An eerie feeling creeping up Marinette's spine told her it was more like "from whom".

As though reading her thoughts, Alya glanced away with a darkened expression. "Something must have happened at the castle that caused him to change his mind," she supposed.

Marinette exhaled harshly as her suspicions were confirmed. "Not something," she said to Alya with absolute certainty. "Some _one_."

But before she could give the culprit's name, an angry voice shouted from the distance: "Over there!"

Marinette and Alya both turned to see the six tiny forms of men upon horses racing towards them from the far side of the field. The princess could almost feel their thundering hoof beats in the earth under her boots. The proud blues and silvers upon the men's uniforms stood out against the autumn landscape.

"Damn it," Marinette swore as she spun back to her startled horse. "It's the Bourgeois!"

Alya huddled close to her in a protective stance. "They don't seem happy to see us," she said flatly.

Marinette gave the last saddle strap a good yank. "The "someone" I told you about?" she said sheepishly. "I left her brother at the altar."

To her surprise, Alya snickered. "You sure know how to make a dramatic exit, Princess" she teased in an impressed tone. "I see why Adrien likes you."

Marinette grinned at that... but then she remembered that they were both about to be captured by Chloe's rampaging enforcers.

The princess practically leapt back onto her white mare. She gripped the reigns in one hand, and extended the other to Alya. "Come on!" she said.

Alya stared at the hand for a moment before grinning like a fox and grasping onto it. She let the princess hoist her up behind her and then wrapped her arms around Marinette's waist.

Then Marinette gave her mare a confident kick with her heels. "Hyah!" she shouted.

The horse broke into a gallop and raced for the safety of the Enchanted Forest just as the men were halfway across the field.

"Seize her!" their leader bellowed heatedly.

Marinette lashed the reigns hard, already thinking that her small mare and her two riders wouldn't be able to outrun six highly-trained guards whose lives depended on their success.

However, the moment Marinette and Alya passed through the threshold of trees, a bone-chilling groan rang through the air behind them.

The Bourgeois stallions whinnied in terror and scraped to a halt along the grass. The soldiers shouted and tried to kick their mounts into obedience, but the animals were too spooked to do anything... except steer clear of the forest that _clearly_ didn't want them to enter.

Alya said calmly into the princess's ear, "I think the forest is on your side too, Ladybug."

As ridiculous as it seemed, the princess couldn't help but offer a silent prayer of thanks to the canopy above.

And as they sped into the strange, dangerous, unpredictable world ahead, Marinette offered up a sacred promise for the forest to pass on to her beloved thief, wherever he may be:

 _I will find you, Adrien. I will always find you_.

* * *

 **MB: Part 2 is finally done!**

 **Just as a head's up, Part 3 is going to be pretty fast-paced. It will have a lot of fight scenes, romantic scenes, evil overly-dramatic bad guy scenes ... and yes, heart-breaking scenes.**

 **Then there will be two more Parts after that before the story ends.**

 **So stay tuned for more chapters! :)**


	13. 3:1: Doubled Up in Pain

**PART 3:**

 _Darkness is a terrible thing._

 _It blinds us to what is real and shows us what we fear._

 _It hardens our hearts until there is no room left for love and amity._

 _It leads us astray by offering us what we think we need: our innermost, insidious desires._

 _At the same time, darkness is a beautiful thing._

 _It covers us like a soft blanket to help ease our troubled thoughts._

 _It shields us from those who seek to do us harm._

 _It encourages us to search for something better; a hidden light in the seemingly endless depths._

 _But no matter how terrible or beautiful the darkness appears, one fact remains the same in either case:_

 _Darkness is an unpredictable thing..._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1:**_

 _ **Doubled Up in Pain**_

The Enchanted Forest was angry.

Marinette could tell, even in the pitch-black shroud of night. The silhouettes of the trees reminded her of giant, bony fingers reaching out of the ground to snatch up unwanted visitors. A ghostly chill blew through the princess's hair, making her teeth chatter.

Not a single star lit the night sky, but the pale full moon above peeked out from behind the clouds. It only made the forest even more frightening. The cold moonlight cast long shadows upon the ground, making the dead trees more monstrous than before.

Marinette tried not let the scene bother her. _It's not me they're angry at_ , she assured herself. _It's the men hunting us down_.

She and Alya had been riding on horseback all day, and now the princess was beginning to feel her legs cramp from sitting too long in a saddle. Not to mention her buttocks had long gone to sleep. Marinette wanted nothing more than to stop and stretch a few minutes just to get more comfortable.

But there was no comfort to be found while being pursued by your ex-fiancé's sister and her callous knights.

A shout from behind Marinette proved that.

She glanced behind her to see flickering orange lights bobbing up and down like fiery will-o-the-wisps in the distance. _Torches_.

Alya could probably see their bearers with her magic-enhanced eyesight. "They've found us!" she called to Marinette.

The princess gave the reigns a good lash. "Hyah! Hyah!" she shouted to her horse.

The exhausted white mare surged forward, but Marinette knew it wouldn't be enough. The Bourgeois soldiers had hardened their stallions with endurance as well as obedience. It wouldn't be long before they would catch up to the girls.

They sped down a steep hill overrun by exposed roots that lay about the ground like snakes. Further ahead of the two women sat a fallen hollow tree trunk covered with webs of moss and branches, giving it the look of a grotesque, open mouth.

And then... that mouth started moaning.

A blood-curdling grumble filled the air, and Marinette instinctively yanked back on the reigns.

Big mistake, because then the white mare suddenly reared back. The princess and her companion tumbled to the ground, and the terrified horse took off into the darkness without its riders.

Marinette's bow and quiver shielded her back – somewhat – from the hard roots, but the force still knocked the wind out of her. Alya had rolled onto her stomach, groaning and shaking dead leaves from her bushy hair.

That's when they both felt it in the earth: the rhythmic pounding of hooves.

Marinette's blood went cold, but she quickly gathered herself up. "It's me those men are after, not you," she said to Alya as she heaved the shape-shifter to her feet. "I'll distract them while you slip away unnoticed."

"No," Alya said staunchly. "You've got to get to Adrien before it's too late. I'll keep those bloodhounds busy."

Marinette shook her head. "You can't take them all on your own!" she argued. "They're too strong and too many!"

She couldn't be sure, but the princess swore she saw Alya's amber eyes glowing. "For a normal human, maybe," the strange girl murmured with a dark smirk, "but not for _me_."

The now-audible shouts of the soldiers drew closer.

Alya spun around, her dark skin appearing to shimmer with golden light. "Go!" she shouted over her shoulder. "I'll catch up with you!"

Marinette didn't want to leave the brave woman behind, but she knew Alya was right. With a silent prayer to the gods, the princess turned on her heels and scrambled down the root-infested hill.

It wasn't long before she heard the frightful shrieks of horses and the gargled screams of men... along with a vicious, unnatural snarl. But Marinette didn't dare look back.

She broke into a heavy sprint, leaping nimbly over the massive roots and fallen logs. All the while, the forest hummed at her presence as though enticing her. _Why can't it just make up its mind already?_ Marinette thought with a fearful glance at the high branches. _Does it want me to find Adrien or not?_

Bridgette would have laughed at her. _You really need to get your priorities straight_ , she would always say. Marinette suddenly missed being with her older sister... and her parents too. Were they in as much trouble as their youngest daughter was now? Marinette doubted it – _they_ weren't the ones running for their lives. In a haunted forest. In the dead of night. While being pursued by angry, armed guards.

Marinette gritted her teeth, panting heavily as she ran on. _I can't think about any of that right now. I made my choice. Now here I am, in a really deep pile of..._

Three large shapes carrying torches emerged from the shadows to block her path.

 _Shit!_

Marinette almost tripped over an exposed root as she skidded to a halt before the mounted soldiers. At the same time, she pulled out her bow and nocked an arrow, aiming at the man in the middle without hesitation.

All three men sneered down at her and reached for their swords.

"Don't even think about it," the princess growled, her blue eyes flickering with impatience in the torchlight. "I will shoot if I have to."

The Bourgeois guard snickered. "We have orders to take you back no matter what you do, _Your Highness_ ," he stated with a rough voice aged with too much whiskey. "So do us all a kindness and lower your bow."

Marinette glared at him very _unkindly_. "And if I don't, did Chloe give you permission to kill me?" she asked sharply.

The middle soldier shook his mailed head. "Of course not," he insisted with sweet venom. "Our princess wants you alive... so she can have the pleasure of executing you personally." The man drew his sword in a flash, and his two partners did the same. "That way, everyone in the kingdom will know of your treasonous ways," he continued.

Marinette didn't let that frazzle her. "Wow!" she exclaimed with a sly grin. "A public execution? I didn't think Chloe cared."

"Take her!" the soldier barked to his subordinates.

Marinette let the arrow fly. It caught the man right in his good arm, and his sword slipped from his grasp as he howled in pain.

The other two charged forward on their mounts, aiming their weapons at her bow. They were going to try and disarm her so that she would be easy pickings.

But Marinette surprised them by sinking low to the ground. As the two swords slashed through the air over her head, Marinette drew her knife from her boot and spun to her left as she rose up. The tiny blade cut cleanly into the left stallion's hind leg.

The horse shrieked and fell over, taking its rider with it and crushing the man's legs underneath its mighty hide.

The third soldier tried to bring himself about, but by then Marinette had already thrown her knife. It impaled itself in the man's shoulder, and he fell back in his saddle.

But Marinette wasn't out of the woods yet. She unsheathed another arrow and turned back to the first guard she hit. He glared at the princess with vengeful rage as he grasped his bleeding arm.

Suddenly, Marinette heard a darkly familiar _twang_. She ducked to her right, but not fast enough.

She felt the crossbow bolt slice into her left side as it flew by. Then she felt the rush of something very hot, and very _wet_ , seeping into her clothes, followed by excruciating pain. Marinette cried out and staggered to her knees, dropping her arrow in the process.

She covered her wound with her free hand before snapping back to see four more guards on horses forming a barricade as they trotted up to her. They all had what looked like claw marks on their arms and faces, and neither of them looked pretty happy about it.

One of the guards held a crossbow proudly in his hand.

Another held a struggling, red-furred creature in a chokehold.

Marinette tried to clear her warped vision as she stared at the writhing wad of fur: long tail, pointy ears, glowing amber eyes...

Chloe's hired swords were too much for even a shape-shifter.

" _Alya_ ," the princess wheezed before doubling over in pain.

That's when she dared to look down at her wound. She couldn't tell how deep it was, but it seemed so enormous with all that blood soaking into her cream-coloured waistcoat. It made Marinette incredibly nauseous... and cold. Everything was cold. Everything hurt.

Marinette hissed and glared back at the guard holding Alya. "Let her go!" she shouted through clenched teeth.

The four men behind her only stared at her impassively.

But the guard in front of her – the one with the wounded arm – gave her a dark, triumphant grin. "If you value the witch's life," he said with a glowering nod towards Alya, "you'll do as I say. Lay down your bow... or I'll order my man to shoot one into your little friend."

The crossbowman snickered and loaded another bolt.

Suddenly, Marinette was back on the River Marsh, listening to the twang of the weapon, seeing Adrien being struck, and watching him bleed out on the rocks. She could still taste the water; feel her beloved's cold face beneath her fingers...

 _I'm delusional_ , the princess thought as she tried to clear her head. _Too much blood..._ Suddenly, she was on both her hands, staring down at the dirt. The roots seemed to curl themselves towards her.

She barely heard the head guard's orders: "We've got her. Kill the witch, and find some bandages. We can't let her –"

A strange whistle sounded through the air.

Then Alya, despite the harsh grip of her captor, let out a defiant howl.

Marinette blinked, and then the head guard was lying on the ground beside her. A hatchet lay buried between his shoulder blades.

There were several more shouts – some male, some female – and Marinette could see tall shadows racing past her. Friend or foe, she couldn't tell. Everything was getting darker, wonkier, weirder, heavier...

Then a bright flash of light, followed by a plume of blue smoke, exploded in her peripheral vision.

 _Am I dying? Oh, Adrien, I'm so sorry..._

Someone was calling her name, but it sounded so far away.

The next thing Marinette knew, she was being lifted up into the sky. _I'm flying! I can see the trees!_

Something warm and strong cradled her as she slipped further and further into the soothing darkness. She could almost hear her mother's lullaby. She tried to sing it.

"Hang in there, Princess," said a deep but gentle voice.

But Marinette heard a different one: _I've got you, my lady!_

"Adrien..." she mumbled as the darkness finally lulled her to sleep.

* * *

The sky was angry.

Adrien could tell, even through the fogged-up glass window of the tavern. The rain wouldn't stop coming. Neither would the thunder. A fierce wind blew the front door open every few seconds or so.

Adrien had arrived at the village earlier that day just when the storm started. The thief sought shelter in one of the grubbier-looking inns, knowing Akuma Guards passing through only stopped at the good ones. _Entitled bastards_.

Unfortunately, the storm wouldn't let up, and Adrien realized he would have to spend the night in this god-forsaken shithole where everyone else was too drunk, too occupied, or too passed out to care about the door banging open every few seconds.

Adrien groaned and downed the last contents of his mug. Was it his second, or third? He didn't care – he had enough money to pay for his room and board. Besides, he was probably going to need another shot of ale in order to sleep through this racket.

As he glanced around the crowded tables, Adrien spotted a man and woman cuddling together in one lounge chair by the fireplace. The man seemed decent enough and the woman was a beauty, with dark brown curls that cascaded all the way down to her waist. _How could someone manage that much hair?_ Adrien wondered as he continued staring.

The man whispered something in the woman's ear, and she giggled so sweetly before nestling her head against his shoulder with a soft sigh.

Adrien looked away, sick to his stomach as well as sick at heart. _It's the ale_ , he thought numbingly. He ran a hand through his untidy mop of hair and sighed heavily. _I'm such an idiot_.

What made him possibly think that getting drunk would ease his pain? Sure, it had been uplifting at first, but now Adrien felt heavier than ever before. _There's no escape from this_ , he realized. _I ruined everything, and now I have to live with it for the rest of my life._

And the worst part? No matter how many pretty girls Adrien looked at – single or with another man – he kept seeing _her_.

Her soft, blue-black hair as he ran it through his fingers one last time; her bluebell eyes tearing up as he broke her heart.

And whenever he saw someone wearing red, he re-imagined it with black polka dots.

Adrien shook his head vigorously. The sooner he got the job done, the sooner things would return to normal. No more running, no more looking over his shoulder day and night, and no more heartbreak.

Once Hawkmoth was out of the way, Adrien could focus all of his efforts on finding a cure for his mother's curse. Once she was awake, he could prove his innocence and take his rightful place as King of Agreste. Once he had everything back...

 _Will you?_ A strange voice said to him in the back of his head. _Will you have everything?_

Adrien shook his head again, almost knocking his mug over in the process. _Yes, I will_ , he argued with himself. _Besides, there are plenty of princesses out there, and not everyone falls in love only once in their lifetime._

 _Keep telling yourself that_ , that strange voice drawled before it went silent.

Then another voice spoke out, this time from inside the tavern: "...takin' a stroll along King's Road – royal carriage and entourage and everythin'!"

Adrien's ears perked up and he glanced over to see a scrawny mercenary speaking to a couple of his cohorts at the bar. Mercenaries were commonplace in villages, taking jobs wherever they could. But they seemed too well-dressed, even for former soldiers, to want to spend any time in an old rundown tavern. _Maybe they just like the ale here_ , Adrien guessed.

"Which one? Andre?" the second merc asked as he finished sipping from his cup. "He was still in'is sickbed, last I heard."

The third one shrugged. "Maybe he was too sick even for that, eh?"

Both men chortled, spitting up drink everywhere.

"No, it's not Andre, you dolt!" the gangly merc retorted. "The herald announcin' the news bore the colours of Agreste!" He lowered his voice and mumbled, "It's 'im, I tell ya – Lord Hawkmoth is travelin' again."

Now Adrien was _really_ paying attention, though he leaned his head on one hand so as to not look so suspicious. Despite the three-ish mugs of ale he had, the thief's ears were still as sharp and clean as a new knife.

"Travelin' where?" the third merc asked. "Where's he off to in such a hurry?"

"Probably still lookin' for that missing son o'is," the second merc assumed. Then he scratched his head. "Or... is he 'is stepson?"

"Stepson, nephew, bastard...Who cares?" his partner said. "I ain't going nowhere near King's Road while the Sorcerer King 'imself is comin' down that way. We'll have to take a scenic route through Hangman's Bluff if we want to make it to Bourgeois in time."

The second one groaned bitterly. "Seriously? I can't stand any more mountains. You know I hate heights!"

"Yeah, yeah, we know, ya big baby," the third merc snapped. "If ya like, I can carry ya all the way over."

"Really? Gee, thanks! That's very..."

"I was kidding, ya blithering jackdaw!"

"Both of ya, knock it off!" their scrawny friend hissed. "Yer scarin' away the girls!"

As they continued on with their bickering, Adrien smiled and leaned back in his seat. Maybe it was the ale, but all of a sudden he felt a surge of victory flooding through his veins.

"King's Road, huh?" Adrien mumbled. A shadow of a plan formed in his mind.

He caught movement the corner of his eye, and looked up at an incoming serving wench.

"Would you like another one, sir?" she asked with a sultry smile. "Or perhaps something a little stronger."

Adrien raised his mug confidently. "You know what? Why not? I'm celebrating."

As the girl refilled his drink, she asked him, "What's the occasion?"

Adrien took a good long sip before smacking his lips together rather loudly. "Family reunion," he replied with a dark, hazy gleam in his eye. "I'm going to go and see my stepfather... and surprise him."

* * *

The three mercs watched without watching.

Once the boy finally laid down his coin and retreated up the stairs to his room, the gangly merc grinned and said to his companions, "Would ya believe it? The kid actually bought the whole thing. Just like His Lordship said."

The third merc chuckled. "He's either really stupid or just really desperate to go after the old man. Maybe both."

The second merc glared at his friend. "You didn't have to call me names, though," he whined.

"Oh, shut up," the sour man groaned as he sipped his mug. "The kid bought that too, so what does it matter whether I meant it or not?"

"Can it!" their leader spat. "We're gettin' paid real good for this, so stop yer jabbering or I'm lowerin' both yer shares!"

The two men shrank back into their seats guiltily.

Then the second merc said, "I wonder what that boy did to get Mothhawk... er, Hawkmoth so eager to nab him?"

"Who knows?" the gangly merc said with a sneer. "As long as I get my money and stay the hell out of it, I couldn't care less."

* * *

Everything was warm and soft and... What was that god-awful smell?

Marinette moaned and opened her eyes, only to wince from the sunlight pouring in through the open window. A bluebird perched on the sill sang happily to her before fluttering away.

The princess blinked again and again. She heard several voices as well as people moving about on a wooden floor.

Where was she? The castle?

Marinette gasped as the night before came flooding back to her. The Bourgeois guards! Had they kidnapped her? Was she Chloe's prisoner now?

If that were true, wouldn't they have closed the window?

Marinette squinted at her surroundings. This wasn't a castle – it was a cottage. And the people moving around weren't soldiers or nobles. In fact, they looked like commoners.

One of them was sitting at the foot of the bed Marinette now lay in. The princess's vision was still a bit fuzzy, but she saw a head of short, golden hair.

Her heart raced and she sat up. "Adrien...?"

The person turned to her... and Marinette's heart sank. No, not Adrien – a girl.

"Ah-dat-dat!" the girl said in a high, squeaky voice. Her bright blue eyes were kind and motherly. "Nice and slow. The wound is healing fast, but you shouldn't push yourself."

Marinette blinked at her. Then it hit her. She had been shot. There had been so much blood... _How did I survive?_

The princess carefully lifted the covers and saw – much to her embarrassment – that her waistcoat and white tunic had been taken off and replaced with an old, brown blouse. With delicate hands, she pulled up the blouse to reveal her abdomen... and her eyes went wide.

There was no cut in her left side anymore. No torn muscles or flabby skin or any stray bits of blood. All that remained was a thin, pink scar that ran along her side like a minor scratch. Curious, Marinette dabbed it with a finger. It itched a little, but there was no pain.

It was just like when she had stitched up Adrien... only without the stitches.

Unfortunately, it was also where that terrible smell was coming from. Marinette wrinkled her nose. "What is that?" she asked.

The girl sitting with her smiled. "A poultice I made while the healing potion was doing its work," she replied brightly. "Root of wormwood mixed with viper vine sap and crushed cayenne pepper. Trust me, it smelled better than it looked."

Marinette looked up at the girl. "Did you say healing potion?" she asked, her mind going numb again. "Are you...?" She tried to find the right word. "Magical?"

The girl giggled. "I wish, but no. I'm just really good at what I do. My name is Rose."

The princess smiled gratefully. "Marinette."

"It's okay – I know."

"Know what?"

"Your name," Rose clarified. "And that you're a princess. And that you're Adrien's true love."

Marinette sat up straighter. "You know Adrien?" she asked with renewed hope.

"We all do," said a familiar voice.

The princess looked to see Alya smiling down at her with relief. Standing next to her was a dark-skinned young man with glasses. He was clad almost entirely in heavy leather garb, like he was ready to go out hunting.

"I'm Nino," the man said kindly as the others in the cottage gathered around. "Welcome to the home of the Seven Bandits."

Introductions were made: Alya was the leader, Nino was a huntsman, Rose was a healer, Juleka was a spy, Nathaniel was a bard, Kim was an archer, and Max was the trap master.

They were such an odd crew... but a colourful one. And they apparently liked having visitors. They told Marinette about who they were, what they did, and what they were hoping to do. Marinette listened intently, touched by each and every one of their stories and thanking them repeatedly for their kindness and hospitality.

But soon her thoughts drifted to Adrien, and Marinette knew that her temporary hiatus had to come to an end. "I need to find Adrien before something terrible happens to him," she announced. "How long was I out?"

Everyone either bit their lips or rubbed the back of their necks.

Marinette's gaze hardened. " _How long_?" she repeated.

Alya sighed through her nose. "Two days at most," she uttered.

The princess's jaw dropped. "Two days?!"

Adrien could be leagues from here by now, getting himself into who-knows-what kind of trouble... and here _she_ was sitting in bed listening to a bunch of stories from a bunch of strangers!

Marinette flung the covers off and dragged herself out of bed. "I have to find him!" she said, struggling not to wince from the stiffness in her side.

Rose looked absolutely appalled. "But your wound hasn't –"

"I don't care!" the princess shouted as she stood up. "Adrien needs me! And what about all of you?! Why aren't _you_ out there looking for him?! I thought he was your friend!"

Then Alya was shouting: "Don't you say that! Don't you _dare_ think for one minute that we don't give a shit about Adrien!"

Silence rang out in the tiny cottage.

That – and the fact that the shape-shifter had dared to speak like that to a princess – made the Marinette clamp her mouth shut, albeit begrudgingly.

Alya took a deep breath and said calmly, "As I'm sure we've told you, most of us – if not all of us – owe Adrien our lives. He took us in when no one else would; when others would have easily thrown us to Hawkmoth and his Akumas."

Nathaniel nodded firmly and he took Juleka's hand in his. Max and Kim exchanged a worried glance. Rose just kept to herself, looking a little teary-eyed. Nino looked down at his feet with something that looked like shame.

Suddenly, Marinette felt guilty herself.

"But please understand," Alya continued. "After that stunt you pulled on your wedding day, we've all had to lay low. Princess Chloe has been sending out soldiers left and right to try and find you. There's even a reward going out for your capture: five-thousand gold pieces!"

"And in case you don't think that's a lot," Nino broke in, "it actually is."

"The Bourgeois are _hunting_ you, Marinette," Juleka said, her one copper eye laced with concern, "and they have orders to apprehend or otherwise _kill_ anyone affiliated with you. Chloe's made that perfectly clear already. On the day you left, the guards arrested several of the townsfolk from the capital city – and their families – for not stopping you when you fled."

Marinette's face went pale. "What? But they didn't do anything!"

"Exactly," Kim said gravely. "Blondie thinks getting the people to turn you over will yield better results."

"And it will," Max concurred as he met Marinette at eye-level. "If the people let you escape, they'll be arrested. If they try to help you, they'll be executed." He gave the princess a sarcastic smile. "Try to guess where _we_ stand right now."

Marinette didn't need to, but she did anyway... and it made her entire core go frigid.

Nino stepped forward. "By saving you from those guards, Kim, Alya, Max and I are all marked for death," he clarified. "And by healing your wound, Rose is too. And so is Juleka for warning you about Chloe, and... well, I'd be lying if I said Nate didn't care what happened to Jules."

Marinette could barely breathe.

"We all want to find Adrien," Alya said, her eyes softened now. "But now Bourgeois knows we're helping you, Marinette. If we all just run off blindly without a proper plan, then we won't be doing Adrien any favours. Make no mistake; we all love him – definitely not as much as you do, but still. And he loves us. We're the only family he's got besides his mother. Whatever we do affects _him_ too."

Suddenly, Marinette recalled Chloe's words from the night of the ball: _You think_ you _get to live your "happily ever after" while everyone else pays for your happiness?_

Running away from her marriage to Theo _had_ come at a heavy cost... not just to her parents, but to the people.

Marinette sighed heavily and shook her head. How could she have been so selfish, so blind; so irrational? She wanted to blame it on the blood loss, but deep down she knew she had let her fear for Adrien and her anger at Chloe get the better of her.

"You're right," the princess murmured. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring you all into this. I never wanted anyone to get hurt because of me. I just..." Her throat bobbed and she felt her eyes sting. "It's my fault."

The bandits' faces slackened, almost in perfect unison.

"I should have told Adrien how I felt back at the ball," Marinette explained, her voice starting to crack. "I should have just run away with him that night. But then Chloe..." Her insides churned at that name. "She got to him... she _threatened_ him to push me away, I just know it!" Marinette inhaled sharply. "And when he left, I didn't even try to stop him. Even after what he said... I _should_ have stopped him! I should have...!"

Finally, she couldn't take it. Marinette wept into her hands and sat back down on the bed, her chest shaking heavily.

Then, someone was rubbing soothing circles on her back. Probably Rose.

Someone else sat down at her other side. Definitely Alya.

"It's not your fault, Mari," Alya said, giving the princess's arm a squeeze. "Chloe is the enemy here, and so is Hawkmoth. The only way to beat them is to prove to them that we can't be broken."

Marinette looked up from her sopping-wet fingers and sniffled. Hadn't she told Adrien almost the exact same thing during their first camp-out in the Enchanted Forest? Hadn't she told him to not hold himself responsible for his mother's fate? _All things come full-circle_ , she thought with a tiny snort.

"Hey, Rose," Nino said to the healer. "What was that catchphrase you kept telling Adrien? You know, the one about love and what not."

The blonde girl perked up like a puppet being lifted by its string. "Oh yeah!" she exclaimed before turning to Marinette. "I told him, and I quote, "Love can overcome all obstacles"."

Nino snapped his fingers. "Right, that one! But it doesn't just apply to Marinette and Adrien – it applies to all of us." He beckoned to everyone in the room. "As long as we stick together, and believe in one another, then who cares if the entire world is hunting us down? We'll always find a way to keep moving forward."

Marinette blinked at him. "Always find a way..." she repeated softly.

Kim nodded and pounded his fist into his palm. "Yeah! I'd like to see them try and stop us!" he stated proudly.

"Affirmative!" Max declared with a raised fist.

Nathaniel looked warmly at Juleka before turning to Marinette. "If Jules and I can be together," the bard said, "then so can you and Adrien."

Alya smiled at the astounded princess. "Besides, didn't I hear you say back at the field that you will always fight for Adrien, no matter what comes between the two of you?"

Marinette wiped her eyes and smiled back. Of course she had said that... and she meant it. _I'm such an idiot_ , she thought with a shake of her head.

She stood up once more, this time with more reverence and resolve. "I know I've only known you all for just a few hours," she said to the Seven Bandits, looking each one in the eye as she spoke. "But I know that Adrien is absolutely lucky to have such amazing friends like you. And..." She blushed a bit and rubbed her nose. "And I'm grateful for you all... for taking me in like he did with you."

Rose squealed and pulled the princess into a suffocating hug. Alya did the same on the other side, but more gently.

Then Marinette regained her brave composure and stated, "Which is why I know that we're going to find Adrien and bring him home... together. And to hell with the Bourgeois, or Hawkmoth, or anyone who thinks they can stop us."

The Seven Bandits raised their fists together in a salute.

But then Kim frowned and scratched his head nervously. "But, um... how exactly are we going to be able to find Adrien without drawing too much attention to ourselves?" he asked.

Marinette's eyes lit up, and she grinned. "Kim, I think you just solved your own problem," she said.

"I did?" the strongman asked.

"He did?!" Max asked incredulously.

The others rolled their eyes or otherwise snickered.

Marinette nodded. "I have an idea that could give us an advantage, but first... Juleka?" She turned to the spy. "I'm going to need a favour."

That one copper eye blinked at her. "Okay," Juleka said with a bit of hesitation. "What do you need?"

"Your cloak," Marinette replied. "As well as Kim's bow, some hunting leathers, and... Rose, do you have anything specifically for hair?"


	14. 3:2: The Butterfly Effect

**PART 3:**

 _ **Chapter 2:**_

 _ **The Butterfly Effect**_

The freezing rains had passed, but now bits of snow fell from the darkening sky and stuck to the Bourgeois captain's eyelashes. It irritated him greatly. He hated the cold, but he hated snow even more.

And after three days of restless searching in these accursed woods, the weather seemed to be taunting the captain for his incapacity to fulfill his simple orders:

 _Find Princess Marinette and bring her to me – kicking and screaming if you must, but alive. And heaven help any of you who return here empty-handed._

Any proper knight of Bourgeois knew the consequences of disappointing their monarch. The captain prayed he wouldn't be next.

"Sir!" one of his men called out. "Look there!"

The captain snapped to attention and caught something moving through the thicket of trees ahead: a dainty figure wearing a bright red cloak...

A red cloak with black-polka dots, like a ladybug!

The captain's eyes lit up with maddened glee. What a stroke of luck!

"It's her!" he shouted as he urged his horse forward. "Don't let her get away!"

He and his squad charged further into the forest. The princess was moving rather fast, but no one could outrun a royal Bourgeois stallion.

The captain could already see himself getting a promotion for this...

* * *

Marinette knelt behind a thorny bush, keeping her black hood over her face. She peered over the edge to see the Bourgeois soldiers racing away to the northeast.

All the while, the girl wearing the red cloak – _Marinette's_ cloak – sped deeper into the dense pocket of trees, where the soldiers would soon be greeted by an unexpected welcoming committee of bandits.

A soft voice whispered behind her, "We're clear – let's move."

Marinette turned and nodded at Nino. The huntsman pointed south and led her silently down the hill where they had just stood. The princess followed close behind him, frowning a bit from the tight leather chest guard that constricted her every time she moved.

The leathers had belonged to Juleka, as well as the black cloak Marinette now wore in place of her ladybug one. In addition, the princess had traded her pale waistcoat and matching leggings for a black, fur-lined jacket and black trousers. A quiver of black-fletched arrows hung along Marinette's back, and gripped in her hands was a chestnut longbow far too long for the little princess – all of that had been a donation from Kim. Now Marinette looked less like a royal huntress and more like a humdrum mercenary.

But that wasn't all. Marinette knew for a fact that her unique midnight-blue hair would still make her stand out even if she had dressed herself in motley. So she asked Rose for a simple, magical hair dye that could make it a different colour. The princess just didn't expect it to be a _really_ different colour.

Now, instead of bluish-black, Marinette's locks were the shade of burnt umber – a yellowish brown (or maybe brownish yellow) that reminded her of autumn leaves.

"It's better if you go lighter than your natural look," Rose had said. "That way, the Bourgeois will overlook you easily."

The only things Marinette couldn't change were her snow-white skin and bluebell eyes.

"Try to rub some dirt and oil on your face when you have the chance," Max had suggested. "It'll make you less attractive... well, I mean... The guards won't think to stop and stare at you for too long."

"And try not to look them in the eyes either," Kim had said.

Once Marinette's disguise was complete, she had looked over at Juleka. The spy had already slipped on the princess's red cloak... and blood-stained waistcoat. It made Marinette even more uneasy about their grand plan. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she had asked Juleka. "Pretending to be me is the worst crime you could commit right now."

Juleka had smiled at her with assurance. "I won't be alone out there. All I need to do is give you an opening. The others will take care of the soldiers. Besides," she looked over herself and shrugged. "I've always wanted to play the part of the princess."

Nathaniel had grinned at her. "You've always been a princess to me," he said sweetly.

"Get a room," Alya had groaned.

Marinette had laughed... and that only made it harder for her to leave these people behind.

Now the princess prayed that Juleka was far beyond the soldiers' reach, and that Max's clever trap would keep them at bay for a while.

The no-longer blunette glanced over at Nino as they now walked in silence. Even in the dark, she could tell the huntsman seemed a bit tense.

Marinette knew why: Alya had offered earlier to accompany the princess in her search for Adrien. "I'm the better tracker," the shape-shifter had told Nino, "and he can't keep his scent covered forever."

But Nino had absolutely refused. "The Bourgeois have seen you with Marinette already," he had explained, "and they know what you can do. It's safer for both you and her if she's travelling with someone else." He had smiled at his girlfriend. "Besides, you're not the only tracker on this team. How do you think I found you?"

In the end, Alya agreed – but not without giving the huntsman a playful lecture on who found who first.

Marinette looked up at Nino as they slowed to a quick walk. "Thank you," she said softly, "for coming along with me."

Nino looked at her with a sad smile. "No problem," he muttered, "but don't thank me just yet. Bourgeois will no doubt send more troops, and there's bound to be an Akuma or two on our path." He sighed heavily before adding with a mirthless chuckle, "Makes me wonder if Adrien's still out there."

Marinette's toes curled under in her boots. "I know he is, and we're going to find him," she asserted. "As long as I'm breathing, I'm never going to stop looking."

There was a slight pause, and then Nino said, "You really do love him."

It didn't sound like a question, but Marinette answered it all the same: "With all my heart," she said tenderly.

She reached into the pocket were she stashed her lucky charm and her father's emerald ring. Just holding onto them gave her a boost of confidence.

Then a funny thought occurred to her... and she giggled.

"What?" Nino asked curiously.

"Nothing," Marinette replied with a smile. "It's just... I have this ring that my father gave me years ago. He said that when the time comes, I should give it to the man I fall in love with."

"Let me guess," Nino offered. "You gave the ring to Adrien, right?"

Marinette shook her head, still grinning. "No, and _that's_ what's so funny," she chortled. "He _stole_ it from me, that day on the Troll Road when I first met him." She gazed off into the eerie forest absent-mindedly. "I suppose – in a very weird, sort of symbolic way – I _did_ give it to him. But it was only when he gave it back to me that I..." She turned to a perplexed Nino. " _That's_ when I really fell in love with him."

Nino nodded slowly and a goofy grin formed on his face.

Then Marinette asked the huntsman, "When did _you_ know?"

He raised an eyebrow at the vague question. "Know what?"

"That you were in love with Alya."

Something like a tiny squeak rose from Nino's throat. "Gee, uh..." he chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, actually, I don't know. I never really... I mean, there wasn't really _a_ moment when I realized how I felt about her. More like... every moment?"

"Really?" Marinette stared at him in wonder. "So... was it just... Love at First Sight?"

Nino squinted at the sky. "It was a bit more complicated than that... I mean, come on! _I'm_ a huntsman, and _she_ can turn into a fox. How more complicated can you get?" He snorted and went on, "I guess the short version is... yes. It _was_ Love at First Sight. Or maybe it was some kind of magical imprinting that only happens with shape-shifters and former Akumas. You never know."

Marinette smiled at him. "You both deserve each other," she said sincerely, "especially after everything you two have been through. You found a way to be together even when the odds were against you."

"Just like you and Adrien," Nino added with a wink. "Once you're together again, I mean."

Marinette nodded, and for a brief moment, the early winter weather around her didn't feel so cold anymore.

* * *

They made camp for the night by a small stream, which had already begun to freeze over. Unfortunately it was too risky to light a fire, so Marinette and Nino had to rely on their cloaks and extra layers to stave off the chill. Marinette huddled into a tight ball on her bedroll and imagined herself in a lantern-lit ballroom, holding Adrien's warm body against hers as they danced.

When morning came, Marinette and Nino followed the stream to where it connected to one of the main routes, commonly referred to by the public as the King's Road. Nino explained it had been made to connect the neighboring kingdoms together so that trade and travel between them would be less of a hassle.

Marinette was surprised to see the paved ground soaked with moisture from the air, and the dry grass around it already had a fresh coat of frost. _The forest may be on our side_ , the princess thought, _but the weather certainly isn't_.

"We should try and stay off the road," Nino suggested. "Keep to the trees and keep our bows out to make it look like we're hunting, in case anyone comes around."

" _Does_ anyone come around here at this time of year?" Marinette asked as she rubbed her arms together.

The huntsman shrugged. "It depends. Mostly traders and the occasional royal emissary, but even then they –"

"Hold on," Marinette interjected with a raised hand. "Do you hear that?"

Nino tilted his head and listened.

Then they could both hear it: the distant, angry voice of a man shouting for help.

"It's coming from over in the trees," Nino pointed. "Come on!"

Marinette followed the huntsman across the King's Road and into the other side of the forest, where the ground was now a deep, wet mesh of fallen leaves.

The voice was coming from behind one of the larger trees. But when Marinette and Nino rounded the corner...

The princess saw something she wished she could unsee. "OH! My god!" she cried out as she quickly covered her eyes and spun around.

Beside her, Nino cringed. "Dude! What the hell?!" he exasperated.

The unmistakable voice of the distressed man grumbled, "What are you two just standing around for? I'm freezing my ass off out here!"

Marinette shook her head. "Uh-uh. I'm not going near him," she stated firmly.

Nino sighed. "Hold on a second."

There was the sound of boots crushing against leaves, then the flap of a cloak, and then Nino said, "You can look now."

The princess shuddered and inched back around towards the strange man. Even though Nino's cloak now covered him completely, it was still hard for Marinette not to imagine him without it.

"Are..." She cleared her throat. "Are you all right, sir?"

The man rolled his dark eyes at her, his shaggy brown eyebrows slick with snowflakes. "What's it to you?" he snapped.

Marinette suddenly had the urge to smack him upside his balding head.

Nino glared at him. "Hey, watch it, buddy, or I'm taking my cloak back and the lady and I are leaving you to the bears."

Something sticking out of the ground caught Marinette's eye. She walked over and reached down to pick it up. It was a scroll of parchment, unfurled and soaking wet.

"Unhand that at once!" the stranger growled. "I command you in the name of the king!"

Marinette glanced up at him. "The king?" she asked. Out of curiosity, she looked down at the purple wax seal on the scroll.

A twisted, evil-looking butterfly lay emblazoned upon it.

The princess's face darkened. "This is Hawkmoth's seal," she said to Nino. "He's an Akuma!"

The stranger seemed to pale, more so when Nino swiftly drew one of his hatchets and held the blade under the man's chin.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't skin your fat hide like a wild boar," the huntsman growled.

The man only sneered. "Thieving scum," he spat. "Go ahead and kill me. You'd be doing me a kinder service than that other boy!"

Marinette exchanged a surprised look with Nino before turning back to the man. "What other boy?" she demanded.

The Akuma only stared at her with cold, unyielding eyes. The princess swore she saw glints of purple in them.

Nino dug his hatchet deeper. "Answer her."

The man swallowed hard and sighed through his teeth. "All right, all right! It was some other brigand, dressed kind of like you," he explained. "He had a staff with him – used it to knock me out. Next thing I knew, I was literally stripped of my uniform... and my weapons too!"

Something hard dropped like a stone in Marinette's stomach. "What... What did he look like?" she uttered as boldly as she could.

"I don't know! He wore a black hood. But..." The Akuma paused and then grinned. "Wait... yes! I did his eyes though. They were green, kind of cat-like."

Marinette gasped, but she didn't dare speak the culprit's name. _Adrien was here_ , she thought elatedly. _He was here recently, which means he can't be too far away!_ The look she gave Nino said as much.

The huntsman turned back to the Akuma. "Why did the thief take your sword and uniform? I mean, that's the best prank ever, but still."

The Akuma glowered at him. "I've said enough to you," he grumbled. "Just get it over with."

"Wait," Marinette said. She looked back at the scroll in her hands and tried to read the intricate handwriting. Most of it had been washed off by the soggy frost, but the princess could still make out some of it.

" _Eagerly await meeting with you... to discuss... further negotiations...monarch to monarch_?" Marinette stopped and looked at the coat of arms at the top of the letter: it was the blue and silver helmet-and-sword of Bourgeois.

The princess snapped back to the Akuma. "Is Hawkmoth trying to forge an alliance with King Andre?" she asked sharply.

Nino frowned. "Figured it was only a matter of time," he said.

To both their bewilderment, the Akuma laughed cruelly. "Apparently, you two haven't heard the news." He then said in a raspy caw, "King Andre is dead."

Marinette's fingers went numb. "Dead?" she breathed.

That couldn't be. He was only just sick, and he had seemed to be getting better before the day of the wedding.

But if what the Akuma said was true, then that meant Chloe... No. She wouldn't do such a thing... would she?

Suddenly, the night from the ball came back to Marinette, particularly when Hawkmoth and Chloe appeared to be getting along despite the rising tension amongst the guests.

"Oh god!" Marinette cried again as the truth dawned on her. "Hawkmoth wants to forge an alliance with _Chloe_... because she's now Queen of Bourgeois!"

Nino swore angrily, surprising even his Akuma captive. "That explains everything: the swarm of guards, the declarations, the arrests... She's holding all the strings now."

Another idea came to Marinette. "What if Adri... what if _the thief_ found out?" she asked Nino fearfully, keeping the Akuma's presence in mind. "What if he's on his way to Bourgeois right now...?"

The Akuma laughed again, harsher this time. "You two really are dense, aren't you?" he spat. "Whoever that boy is, he's going to try and stop the king _before_ he ever gets to Bourgeois. It's easier to kill someone out in the open than inside a well-guarded castle."

Marinette felt her pulse pounding in her ears. "Kill?" she repeated.

As in... _Adrien_ would kill?

The Akuma affixed a deadly gaze on Marinette. "That's why the boy took everything I had. He needed a disguise to get close to my master!" Foam appeared at the ends of his mouth as he spoke. "I heard it from his wretched little mouth before he clobbered me: "I'm going to meet Hawkmoth on King's Road, and break his silvery skull open with my own staff"."

Marinette didn't realize what was happening. One second, she was standing before the man with the royal parchment in her hand. The next thing she knew, she had the Akuma by the scruff of his neck and slammed him hard against the large tree with a strength she never thought she had.

"Mari, don't!" Nino cried.

"You lie!" Marinette shouted at the Akuma, her teeth bared. "The boy who robbed you – he would never do such a thing! He would never kill a man in cold blood!"

"I don't care whether he would or wouldn't, because it doesn't matter," the disoriented man hissed at her. "You think my king hasn't been attacked by assassins before? When that boy opens that carriage, the only death he'll receive... _is his own_."

The flaming rage inside Marinette froze over instantly, and her eyes widened with newfound terror.

"That's right," the Akuma purred. "No one survives my master. Your heroic cat friend is going to die. Either that, or my king will honour him with an official induction into the Akuma Guard." The man leaned closer to Marinette and whispered with sweet poison, "For your sake, my beauty, you should pray that it's the former."

Marinette suddenly found it hard to breathe. _No... Adrien would never...!_

 _But if he does... then Hawkmoth will surely...!_

"No..." the princess said, shaking her head fiercely.

The Akuma laughed again... until something clubbed him on the head and he went as limp as a dead fish. Marinette let the man go and he sank to the ground.

Nino tossed away the stone he had used to knock the Akuma out. "I can't take that guy anymore," he snarled. "We should dump him on the road and hope that a wagon will – Hey, Mari, where you going?"

He was asking that because Marinette had already turned on her heels and was proceeding straight back to King's Road, her mind buzzing and her heart racing.

 _It can't be true. It just can't be._

 _But if it is... I have to stop him before it's too late!_

* * *

Snow fell from the sky.

Citizens from a nearby village scattered off the road as armed men on black horses marched on by, carrying the purple banners of Agreste.

A black, horse-drawn carriage rolled down the road behind them, escorted by four grounded Akuma Guards.

"Make way!" one of the banner men called harshly. "All of you – bow your heads before the king!"

The peasants quickly obeyed and bowed stiffly and sombrely to the carriage, knowing that the man inside was undoubtedly watching them. Women whispered frantically into their children's ears, and they either bowed or curtsied with sad, pouty faces.

As the parade moved on, however, something whizzed out of the treetops and embedded itself into the ground. Several onlookers gasped.

It was a black crossbow bolt.

The royal entourage halted as they beheld the object before them.

One of the escorting guards walked over to the front to address the problem. He took one hard look at the crossbow bolt, and then glanced between the parallel forests. "Who goes there?" he called suspiciously as he drew his sword. "How dares threaten our mighty king?"

No response came from the trees.

The other Akumas shifted uncomfortably in their spots.

A muffled voice sounded from the carriage. "Captain, why are we being delayed?" Hawkmoth groaned irritably.

"There's a situation, my master," the captain responded. "We shall deal with it at once!"

"See to it that you do," the king grumbled. "There is a special meeting I am anxious to attend."

A young voice spoke from behind the carriage: "I'm afraid your meeting's been cancelled, _Your Majesty_."

The other three escorts turned to see a rather scrawny guard standing with them... before they were all knocked aside by a spinning metal quarterstaff.

Cries of distress rang out from the watching crowd. Most of the people wisely made themselves scarce.

Meanwhile, the disguised assailant lifted his eyes at the dumbfounded captain, and a feline grin stretched across his face. "In fact," Cat Noir said with a glare towards the carriage, "all of your official dealings in the kingdom are no longer your concern."

A throaty chuckle could be heard from within. "Adrien, my boy, is that you?" Hawkmoth called in a cheerful tone. "I've missed you so! Come to join the party at last?"

Adrien sneered and twirled his staff. "Oh, I'll be partying, _stepfather_ ," he stated darkly as he stepped closer to the door of the carriage, "but first, I'm going to make you pay for everything you've done to me!"

"Such ferocity!" Hawkmoth said with astonishment. "I never knew you had it in you. This should be most entertaining. Captain!" The king called out once more. "Arrest Prince Adrien, if you would be so kind."

The captain pointed at the rogue. "Stop him!" he barked to the other Akumas.

The two men on horses dropped their banners and charged towards Cat Noir.

The thief merely grinned threw his staff up into the air. Then, lightning-fast, he unsheathed two small knives from his belt and slashed at both horses' saddles as they rushed by.

The Akumas cried out as they both slid unceremoniously off of their horses. One of them crashed onto the snow-covered ground. The other still had his foot secured in its stirrup, so the poor soldier was being dragged along the ground as his horse trotted onward.

Cat Noir grinned and held out his hand just as his staff came flying back down. It landed right in his palm.

The three fallen Akumas finally gathered themselves back up – painfully, one would say – and drew their swords at their opponent.

Cat Noir parried each of their blows nimbly and landed them a few good kicks or whacks to the stomach or the head. When one of them tried to grab him from behind, the thief swung him over and knocked him out cold with a punch to the temple.

But then, as Cat Noir ran towards the door of the carriage, he failed to notice the Akuma captain. The guard tackled him to the ground with the boy underneath him. Cat Noir's weapon slipped from his hand as the guard wrapped his gloved hands around the boy's throat and squeezed.

Gasping, Cat Noir gritted his teeth and kicked out, but the guard was far too heavy compared to him. Then, as a last resort, the thief reached out with all his might to grasp his staff. Spots danced in his vision. The staff was just at the tips of his fingers. _Almost... there...!_

The Akuma captain grinned with brown teeth. "Say goodnight, pussy cat," he jeered.

Cat Noir's eyes rolled to the back of his head... and then he brought his staff across the back of the Akuma's head. The man's eyes widened for a moment, and then he fell to the side.

Cat Noir gasped for air and coughed as he shoved the unconscious guard off of him. "Goodnight," he croaked as he crawled to his feet.

He checked the other guards. All six of them were out cold on the freezing road.

All that was standing now was the carriage.

Cat Noir grinned. "I've got you now," he murmured elatedly as he strode over to the royal wagon.

Gripping his staff in his good hand, the thief yanked the door open with the other and peered inside, ready to fight.

Unfortunately, what he saw made him freeze with newfound horror; his face white as death, his pupils becoming nothing but pinpricks.

The person sitting inside the carriage, staring at Adrien with fearful eyes, wasn't Hawkmoth.

It was Nathalie!

Her hair hung in oily waves past her shoulders, her hands and feet were bound, and her mouth was obscured by a thick rag tied up around her head.

Cat Noir gasped and climbed into the carriage, making quick work of the gag in her mouth. "Nat!" the thief cried. "What's going on? Where's...?"

Nathalie shook her dishevelled head. "Adrien, it's a trap!" she cried hoarsely. "Get out of here!"

" _Too late_."

Cat Noir snapped to his right, finally seeing what he could not see before: a large round mirror hanging inside the carriage.

His silver-faced, silver-tongued stepfather sneered at him from within the mirror.

Before the thief could react, Hawkmoth opened up his clenched fist in front of him and blew some pink, powdery substance into the mirror... and into the carriage.

Cat Noir was unconscious before he fell against the cushions.

* * *

When he woke up, he was being held up on his knees by two Akumas.

Cat Noir blinked as his vision cleared up... but then his heart reeled backwards.

Nathalie kneeled in front of him, no longer tied up but being watched carefully by two other guards at her side.

"Nat?" Cat Noir struggled against his holders. "Nat, run!"

But the woman remained perfectly still, her face blank and her blue eyes set on the boy in front of her. "I can't," she said with a remorseful tone. "I'm so sorry, Adrien. He's got my..."

"That'll be all, Nathalie," came a darkly familiar voice.

Cat Noir blinked as his former governess clamped her mouth shut and lowered her head. Then the thief looked over to where the voice had come from.

Another Akuma Guard was holding the mirror from the carriage in his hands, the glass surface held up for all to see.

Hawkmoth grinned at Cat Noir from within the mirror. In the background, the thief could see the fireplace and adornments of the king's royal chambers. His stepfather wasn't travelling at all – he was back at Castle Agreste.

 _He tricked me_ , Cat Noir thought with regret, _and I fell for it._

"Ah! Back with us?" the king said. "Excellent. I have been looking forward to this moment for quite some time."

Cat Noir scowled at him. "Can't say I feel the same way," he snarled as he tried to pull away again from the men holding him. He nudged his head towards Nathalie. "Let her go, Hawkmoth! You have me now. Leave everyone else alone!"

His stepfather merely sighed at the boy. "Such cruel irony," he mused. "Just when you think you have nothing to lose, you realize too late that there is always something left... no matter how small." He cast a sadistic glance at the Lady of Sancoeur.

Despite the hot anger burning through him, Cat Noir knew with a sinking feeling that Hawkmoth was right. The thief could never stop caring for anybody, no matter how crushed or empty he was inside. And the worst part was that he had tried to mend his heartbreak in the most unforgiveable way. _What have I done?_

The young rogue met Hawkmoth's ice-blue eyes with ones of hard green. Even in defeat, he would not surrender. "So what do _you_ have to lose?" he asked with cold curiosity. "Why don't you just come through the mirror, kill me now and get your revenge? Stop hiding behind your bodyguards like a coward."

The Sorcerer King chuckled harshly. "Oh, if only it were that simple – me killing you," he said, "but that's a story for another time." He gazed off into the distance. "This may be difficult for you to believe, Adrien, but I've had a recent change of heart."

"You and "heart" in the same sentence?" Cat Noir jeered.

Hawkmoth shrugged his shoulders. "Fair point." Then he continued, "I took some time to re-evaluate our current relationship, and I have come to a conclusion that would be more... mutually-beneficial." The king looked back at Adrien with a smile that indicated a devious plan was brewing in that twisted mind of his. "I believe it's high time we put aside our little vendetta for the good of the kingdom... and become allies instead of enemies."

Now Cat Noir just _had_ to laugh. "You are unbelievable," he said, his teeth flashing in a feral grin. "After everything you did – to me, to my parents, to my friends – you actually expect me to forgive you?!"

"I expect you to make the rational choice regardless," his stepfather snarled. "Then again, your ability to make such choices has been somewhat lacking of late. For instance, did you really believe that I wouldn't find out about your secret rendezvous with Princess Marinette?"

Cat Noir's face fell, and Hawkmoth's rose into a charming sneer.

"I will admit though," the king said with a purr in his tone, "your "Ladybug" is quite the jewel – strong, bold, exquisite... Forged from fire..."

Bile rose in Cat Noir's throat and he struggled harder. "If you go anywhere near her..."

"And then there's Lady Nathalie here," Hawkmoth interjected once again. He tried to peer beyond the mirror's edge at the catatonic governess. "The only noblewoman who had a noble reason for wanting to help you. That's why you convinced her to sneak you into the ball." The king looked back at his stepson with an unimpressed expression. "And for what – _true love_?" He snorted. "You seemed pretty eager to throw it away when push came to shove."

Cat Noir growled from the back of his throat, and the guards holding him gave him a rough shake.

Hawkmoth shrugged again. "It matters not," he concluded with a grin. "And I don't entirely blame you for Nathalie's actions." He appeared to reach down for something at the bottom of the mirror. "I admire her kind of loyalty and resolve, trying to aid the son of her dearest friend. But you know what they say..." The king's face seemed to light up with red as he lifted a small, glowing object in his hand. "Loyalty can only get you so far."

Cat Noir heard it before it saw it:

 _Thump thump, thump thump, thump thump..._

His entire being went cold. He had heard rumours in the past about the kinds of magic the Sorcerer King was capable of. The worst were stories of him ripping out other people's...

Cat Noir looked back at the inert Nathalie... and his eyes widened with terror. "No..." he gasped, shaking his head. "You can't!"

Dark shadows appeared on Hawkmoth's face where the red light from the heart could not touch. He lifted the beating thing to his lips and whispered, "Stand up."

Nathalie lifted her head, as though she had just woken from a daydream, and immediately rose to her feet. Cat Noir looked on with dismay.

"Walk over to the boy," Hawkmoth said to the heart again. "Look into his eyes and tell him what you see."

"Stop!" Cat Noir pleaded. "Don't do this!"

But he could do nothing as Nathalie strolled over to him and kneeled back down right in front of him.

The lady stared at him deeply, as though she could see into his already-tortured soul. Then she smiled faintly and said with a soft chime, "I see your mother... and your father."

A single tear trickled down from Cat Noir's eye. "Nat..." he said.

Suddenly, a bone-chilling cracking sound came from the mirror.

Nathalie's eyes widened for a brief moment before they closed... and she slumped to the ground in a twisted heap.

"NO!" Cat Noir screamed.

Hawkmoth opened his clenched fist – the same one in which he had just been holding Nathalie's heart – and a mound of pale dust cascaded from his palm.

The whole world seemed to go silent.

Cat Noir felt the guards release him. He felt his knees slam against the hard earth as he crawled over to Nathalie and lifted her into his arms. He felt her still-warm body against his as he rocked her back and forth... just like she used to whenever he had nightmares as a child.

He cried her name again and again, as though that would wake her up. But Nathalie's head lulled to the side as though she was sleeping, her face so peaceful and tranquil...

The hot tears wouldn't stop coming, even when he squeezed his eyes shut.

His teacher, his mother's best friend, the woman who had become something of an aunt to him... Gone.

Cat Noir glanced up at the magic mirror. There was no anger in his eyes, no hatred, no revenge... just pure, agonizing grief. "Why?" he blubbered between heavy breaths. "Why would you do this?!"

Hawkmoth appeared to be rather surprised, as though his stepson were a child crying over a broken toy. "Because this is your happy ending, Adrien," he insisted. "Do you not understand? Love is weakness – it only brings you pain with no end." He rubbed the remaining dust with his fingers and flashed a wicked grin. "The only way you can erase it is to let go your past... and embrace your full potential."

Cat Noir hung his head down, his eyes unconsciously cast towards Nathalie as he continued to hold her. _What have I done?_

Suddenly, it wasn't Nathalie he was staring at... but his mother. Then Nino.

Then Ladybug, her dark hair falling around her angelic face as she turned cold in his arms.

Cat Noir wept again and shook his head. "I will never let go," he croaked. "I can't..."

"I know," Hawkmoth said in an almost-fatherly tone. "But I can help you."

Something bright purple gleamed in Cat Noir's peripheral vision, and once again, curiosity killed the cat.

The thief looked up to see his stepfather holding a butterfly in his other hand – a black butterfly with ominous purple veins. It was so bizarre, so strange... that Cat Noir couldn't help but stare.

"You will no longer be burdened by the fleeting fantasy of love, or the painful memories of those you've lost," Hawkmoth cooed. "Instead, all of that rage and sorrow building up inside will become your sword, your tool, your _power_." He twitched his fingers, and the butterfly danced around them. "You will never be afraid of anything again," the king continued. "Instead, you will feast on the fear of others, and it will give you more strength than you have ever felt before."

Cat Noir didn't try to run away, or speak, or even fight back... He continued to stare at the butterfly, as though its frazzled wings entranced him.

 _No!_ That other voice inside his head screamed. _No, don't listen to him!_

But he no longer had the strength to heed those words.

Hawkmoth held out the butterfly towards his stepson. "Fly away, my little akuma," he hissed, "and evilize him!"

The mirror rippled like water... and the creature emerged right into the wintry woods. It fluttered right towards Cat Noir so fast that he blinked and missed it.

Then it collided with his chest... and everything went dark.

* * *

He felt something like a dark, hot sludge cover his heart like melted metal. He expected pain, but there wasn't any.

All he felt was... calm. Dark, eerie, soothing calm.

And desire – a desire to listen. To obey.

He opened his eyes, and a glowing butterfly outline appeared over them.

He knew where he was, but... _who_ he was remained a mystery.

And the dead woman in his arms... No, he did not know her.

That's when the darkness inside him spoke to him: "I am Hawkmoth, and you are Cat Noir – my fearless warrior."

 _I am Cat Noir_. Yes, that sounded right.

"You seek purpose and a chance to prove yourself," the voice said. "I can give it to you."

 _I seek to prove myself... Yes, I do._

The voice carried on, "The time has come to prove to your people that their pathetic heroic ideals no longer exist. Show them the wrath of your king, and nothing will ever stand in your way!"

 _Nothing will stand in my way..._ A surge of wicked pleasure flowed through him.

"Let the world see you for what you truly are," the voice purred. "A weapon of destruction!"

Cat Noir let the woman in his arms slink to the ground, and he stood like a shadow rising from the grave.

"No..." he whispered, before flashing a chaotic smile. "No problem... _my master_."


	15. 3:3: Divided We Fall

**MB: Sorry this chapter took so long. There were many different ways I wanted this part of the story to go, and so it took a lot of editing and deleting of some scenes to figure out which version I liked best. Plus, there were a lot of plot points I wanted to include. All in all, this is the longest chapter I have ever done.**

 **If this entire story were a play, the ending of this chapter would definitely be the Act 1 Finale. Which means we are halfway done! The rest of Part 3 will be coming soon.**

 **Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **PART 3:**

 _ **Chapter 3:**_

 ** _Divided We Fall_**

"Look, Marinette – I know you're worried, but you need to stay focused."

"I _am_ focused, Nino... on saving Adrien!"

The huntsman finally strode up to the princess and grabbed her arm, yanking her to a stop. "Getting yourself killed isn't the right way to go about it!" he snapped. "If you just run straight into a fight without thinking –"

"Don't patronize me!" Marinette snarled, ripping free of his grasp. "And don't pretend you're not scared about what will happen to him too!"

Nino opened his mouth to retort. When he didn't, Marinette knew she hit the right mark. Their encounter with the Akuma Guard had left the blunette riled and restless all day. Now, as the sun began to set and the earth cooled, she couldn't hold back her fear-fuelled anger any longer.

But then the huntsman said in a low tone, "I _am_ scared, and for good reason. Even if – and that's a really big "if" – Hawkmoth decides _not_ to kill Adrien... If he decides to... to _turn_ him," Nino's throat bobbed as though he swallowed a sharp rock. "The Adrien you see won't be the Adrien you know. And _he_ won't know _you_ either. Hawkmoth erases the memories of his Akumas so that they're easier to control. The last thing he would want is their personal feelings getting in the way."

"But _you_ came back," Marinette retorted. "Adrien told me he broke Hawkmoth's spell on you after you tried to kill him, but he didn't say how."

Nino glanced down at the ground before responding, "It's not as simple as it sounds. Adrien and I grew up together. My parents died when I was young, so he became the only family I had." The huntsman sighed through his nose. "Seeing Adrien at my mercy somehow reawakened my memories. Just barely, mind you, but just enough to realize that I cared about him too much to want to bring him to any harm."

The princess's eyes softened and she gave Nino a hopeful smile. "That's it, then," she deduced. "All I have to do is remind Adrien of who I am – of how much I mean to him – and he'll come back to me." Her blue eyes burned with resolve.

Nino almost smiled at that. "I just hope it won't be too late," he said as they both started walking again.

The surrounding forest grew denser – and scarier – as the two companions trekked onward. The snow covered branches latched onto one another like spider webbing, and the trees themselves were misshapen and riddled with hideous, thorn-infested viper vines. Dead leaves, mushrooms and lichen littered the ground.

But those weren't the only dead things Marinette and Nino found.

The huntsman had uncovered a set of wagon tracks on the road, barely visible due to the fresh-fallen snow. Marinette let him lead the way until they spotted a large bundle dumped carelessly on the side of the road.

Upon close inspection, however, they realized it was a human body.

Marinette's hand flew to her mouth as Nino turned the half-frozen corpse over to reveal a middle-aged woman. A layer of frost coated her already ice-white face. She looked like she was smiling from a wonderful dream.

"Shit," Nino swore with a pang of sorrow. "It's Nathalie, Adrien's governess."

"Lady Nathalie of Sancoeur?" Marinette asked with a shudder. "Wasn't she at my engagement ball?"

Nino nodded and placed a respectful hand on the woman's shoulder. "Hawkmoth must have found out she smuggled Adrien into the castle." His face contorted with grief and fury. "Damn it! We never should have gotten her involved. She deserved better than this!"

"Hold on," Marinette said as she kneeled down and peered at Nathalie. She had been to the royal infirmary in Dupain-Cheng enough times to know some of the causes of death. "I don't see any blood or bruising, and her neck looks like it's intact." Her brows scrunched together. "I can't figure out how she died. It's almost like she just..."

"Dropped dead for no reason?" Nino offered.

Marinette looked up to see recognition in the huntsman's eyes. "You've seen this before?" she asked.

"More than I wish I had," Nino replied darkly. "Hawkmoth is well known for killing in the most brutal ways possible. His favourite is ripping people's hearts right out their chest... and grinding them to dust with his bare hands."

Now Marinette felt like _she_ was going to drop dead for no reason. "That poor woman..." she uttered as she tried to breathe steadily.

Nino's head snapped up like a suspicious crow. "Wait..." he said with narrowed eyes. "If Nat died recently, Hawkmoth might still be close by."

Understanding filled Marinette. "And if we find _him_ ," she concluded, "then we'll find Adrien."

" _Look no further_."

That dark, purring voice behind the two companions caused them to jerk upright and spin around – Marinette with her bow strung tight, Nino with his twin hatchets raised.

Then a nimble figure leapt from his perch in the trees and landed as gracefully as a cat in front of them, his staff slung over his shoulder.

Marinette's heart stopped as the boy she loved rose up and smiled at her. The first thing she felt was pure relieved joy. _He's alive!_

But then she saw that fierce look in those green eyes – like a hungry lynx entrapping a helpless bluebird – and her joy plummeted like a stone.

"Don't let your guard down," Nino whispered while keeping his firm eyes locked on his best friend.

"Adrien," Marinette said, hoping her voice would snap him out of it.

It didn't. Instead, he snarled coldly at her, "Not anymore. It's _Cat Noir_ now." As he spoke, a luminous, purple shape appeared over Adrien's eyes. It looked like a butterfly.

A cold, pitiful lump formed in Marinette's throat, and in her shock, she unwittingly lowered her bow.

Nino raised his voice, "Don't...!"

But something exploded out of Adrien's fist before the huntsman could finish.

Marinette stiffened as a pink haze swept into her eyes and nose. Then she sank to the ground like a heavy sack of grain. Her darkening vision showed Adrien standing over her, a smug grin flashing across his face.

"Ad..ri..." the princess whispered one last time before she slipped into sleep.

* * *

The journey to the village of Bruel took longer while carrying an unconscious girl on his back the entire way. But Cat Noir didn't bother to complain. His master had said the girl would prove to be useful.

 _She is the young princess of Dupain-Cheng. With her as our hostage, her distressed parents will agree to any demands we make. Bring her to me once the final stage of your mission is complete. And remember: don't let her desperate words confuse you._

And so Cat Noir deemed the extra baggage necessary. For now.

At least he had left the girl's shifty-eyed partner behind. _The wolves can have him for all I care_ , Cat Noir thought.

Eventually, he came up to the edge of a large hill. Down below in the valley, scarcely concealed by the great array of snow-covered trees, was Bruel. Tiny candle lights appeared in the windows like fireflies, and smoke rose from clay chimneys in undisturbed tendrils. The whole village was sound asleep, but any moment now, the sun would rise and the forest-dwelling peasants would pour out of their homes to ready themselves for the day ahead.

Among them would be the former guardian of Troll Bridge: the one who had once been called "Stoneheart"; the traitor Cat Noir had been sent here to punish.

But first thing was first...

Cat Noir set the girl down against a large, twisted tree. Then he went about tying her up to the trunk with some thick viper vines and some extra twine he had. All the while, Cat Noir couldn't help but glance at the sleeping princess. Her hair was an ugly shade of copper, but other than that, she was definitely attractive. Part of Cat Noir wondered what a dainty, little thing like that was doing so far from home with no guards or escort. He shrugged it off. Royals had their own selfish reasons for everything.

When he was finished, Cat Noir stood in front of the girl expressionlessly. The magic poppy dust he had given her hadn't been too big of a dose, so she should be waking any second.

It took about a hundred seconds, but she finally opened her eyes, revealing those bulbous orbs of blue – like the colour of the ocean when you're sinking to the bottom of it. Cat Noir almost felt like he was sinking into those eyes himself, but he shook his head. _I'm not here to flirt_ , he told himself. _I'm here to send a message._

The girl squinted at him as she became fully awake. Then her face broke into a relived smile. "Adri-" she began, but then stopped and frowned when she realized she wasn't going anywhere.

Cat Noir snickered as he watched her thrash about against her ivy bonds. A meaningless effort, since viper vines were thicker and stronger than manmade rope... and more painful if you struggled too much.

When she finally gave in, the girl grunted and looked at him reproachfully. Like _that_ was going to do her any good.

"So _you're_ the girl my master wants," Cat Noir mused as he looked her over once again. "The one he said whose heart I shattered." He creased his forehead in thought. "What was your name again?"

She drove those desperate eyes into him. "Adrien, it's me – Ladybug!" she said.

Cat Noir laughed, his voice almost scaring away the mist along the ground. "I'm beginning to see why I left you," he chortled cruelly. " _Ladybug_... Who in their right mind would choose a name like _that_?"

" _You_ did," the princess insisted, pushing harder against the vines. "You gave me that name when we first met. Don't you remember?"

"Hmm..." Cat Noir put a finger on his chin and stepped closer to her until their faces were inches apart. Then he shrugged and turned away with a smile. "Nah, doesn't ring a bell."

"Well it should," he heard her snap, "because that's how we both we fell in love."

Now Cat Noir was laughing again, and he twirled back around to face her. _Is she for real?_ "Oh, you're good, I'll give you that much," he admitted, "but you're also stupid. I do _not_ love you."

Ladybug winced from the tiny thorns embedding themselves into her arms. "Yes, you do," she said through gritted teeth. "Hawkmoth just doesn't want you to remember that. You love me and I love you!"

 _Don't listen to her, Cat Noir. She claims to see light where there is only darkness. Prove her wrong._

The thief's mouth curled up into a sneer and he slowly began gathering his stuff into his pack. Among them was the princess's black bow and quiver, which Cat Noir decided would be quite useful.

"Love is a lie," he explained to Ladybug as she watched him work. "A cold, hard lie disguised as a beautiful fairytale; a shroud that hides the truth of reality." He slung his pack over his shoulder and walked up to his prisoner with a darkened expression. "And the truth is..." he said coldly, "the world is selfish and evil and full of hate. The only way to survive it is to embrace it."

Ladybug shook her head at him fiercely. "No, Adrien, you can't possibly believe that." She cried out from the painful vines and then gasped, "This isn't you – not the _real_ you!"

Cat Noir raised a sly eyebrow and leaned closer to her, causing her to stiffen. "Isn't it?" he breathed onto her face.

Then, grinning wickedly, he angled his head and laid the soft brush of a kiss on her neck. She gasped at his touch, and that only made him so something even more wicked.

He ran his tongue along her neck and drew a line all the way down to her collar bone. He could taste the salty sweetness of her. She moaned with a shudder, and it made him purr hungrily. Once he reached the other side of her neck, he flicked her once last time with his tongue.

"That felt pretty real to me, my _Purr_ -incess" he whispered into her ear with a dark chuckle.

Ladybug shivered, her breathing haggard and her eyes laced with shock and disgust. _Well, what was she expecting?_ Cat Noir thought amusedly. _A kiss from her Prince Charming?_

"If its attention you want, I can definitely provide," the thief said enticingly as he stroked Ladybug's cheek with his gloved fingers. She flinched a little, but didn't look away. _She's tough... for a princess_. "But it'll have to wait," Cat Noir added with a sigh of boredom. "I have something to take care off first."

There was a pause, and then Ladybug asked, "What do you mean? Where are we?"

Cat Noir rolled his eyes. " _Now_ you're asking? Well, better late than never, I suppose." He turned her face towards the view of the valley below. "See that little village down there?"

Ladybug apparently saw it... and _knew_ it, because her eyes went wide. "That's... That's Ivan and Mylene's village!" she exclaimed.

"I don't care whose it is," Cat Noir stated. "It's a breeding ground for disobedience and treason." He stared down into the valley with smugness. "It's time for these wretched rebel peasants to learn what happens when they cross their king. My master has cast his judgement..." He turned back to Ladybug with a sneer. "... and I'm his executioner."

"What?!" the princess gasped. "Adrien, those are our _friends_ down there!"

"Well, now they're my _enemies_ ," Cat Noir snarled at her. "Now sit tight and shut up. And don't worry," he added with another brush of her cheek. "I'll be back for you once it's all over." He almost didn't want to turn away from that magnificent horror on her face, but unfortunately he had a job to do.

He began walking away when his prisoner's shout cut through the air: "STOP!"

Cat Noir paused, only because someone had dared to speak to him in that hard, forceful, _royal_ manner. He spun around again, his mouth drawn into an irritated scowl.

The fire in Ladybug's eyes was strikingly familiar. "Adrien, listen to me," she implored. "The man that I love would never do something like this. Hawkmoth is using you for his own cruel ends. But once he's done with you, he'll break any promise he made you just to make it easier for himself." She winced again from her agonizing bonds. "He will betray you, Adrien, just like he betrayed your mother, Queen Vivienne."

Cat Noir swore something struck his mind like an arrow, and he reeled. Then he saw several unfamiliar images before him: a gleaming castle leaning against two twin mountains; a little hand reaching up to grab an apple in a tree; a dark tunnel where he could hear a woman's frantic voice.

 _Adrien... Adrien..._

"Mother?" He had no idea if he was asking Ladybug what she meant, or if he was calling the woman himself.

Suddenly, a sharp bolt of lightning stabbed his thoughts, and Cat Noir groaned through gritted teeth.

 _Enough stalling, Cat Noir! Proceed as instructed, and do not disappoint me!_

The pain ebbed away instantly, and Cat Noir opens his eyes. "Yes, my master," he murmured.

Then he glared up at Ladybug, pointing at her with his staff. "Your words mean _nothing_ to me, Buglady or whatever your name is," he spat. "But you know what _does_ mean something to me? Taking action – and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

The stubborn princess wouldn't back down. "Don't do this, Adrien! It's not who you want to be! You would never harm innocent people!"

Cat Noir's mouth curled up, his green eyes becoming as sharp as daggers. "Really?" he asked. Then he whispered in a low, commanding tone: " _Watch me_." Then he turned away.

And as she kept on screaming for him to come back, Cat Noir drowned her out and walked on into the cold darkness.

* * *

"Adrien, you can't do this!" Marinette shouted hoarsely. "ADRIEN!"

But by then her beloved had already vanished into the shadows.

Marinette cursed and struggled against the viper vines harder. Unfortunately, their thorns only bit into her harder, causing tiny tears to form in the corners of her eyes.

 _I'm not going sit here and cry_ , the princess avowed. _I have to stop him!_

Her pragmatic self came back: _How? He doesn't remember me at all. He doesn't remember anything. Nino was right – he's not the Adrien I know and love anymore._

 _But I can't just give up! I promised I would find him, and I did NOT come all this way for nothing!_

Marinette heaved a heavy breath and fell back against the tree. She didn't have time to argue with herself. Ivan and Mylene were in danger, along with the rest of their people. And if Adrien actually succeeded... there would be no saving him after that. All that would be left was Hawkmoth's perfect new slave.

The princess huffed and stamped her feet on the ground as she tried to stand up, but it was no use. It would be spring by the time she broke free, and it would be too late for Adrien.

Something emerged from the bushes ahead. It was crawling on four legs, and the princess could see glowing yellowish eyes.

Marinette gasped. A mountain lion? A wolf? A vampire?

The long-tailed, red-furred creature emerged into her range of sight. A fox!

"Alya!" Marinette whispered.

The vixen gave her a friendly nod and climbed up onto the vines. Then she began nibbling at the vines greedily, using her claws to break off any thorns in her path. The larger ones were thicker and took longer, but eventually they all began falling apart. Marinette sighed as the pressure and pain on her arms finally lessened.

Once she was finally free, there was a flash of golden light, and Alya stood beside the princess on human feet.

" _Bleh_!" the shape-shifter exclaimed as she spat out remaining bits of vine. "Rose was right – those things smell _and_ taste nasty."

Marinette rose up said urgently, "Alya, listen. Adrien's on his way into the village. He's going to-"

"I know," the shape-shifter said with firm eyes. "Nino and I found you both just as he was leaving."

Marinette blinked. "You found Nino? Is he all right?"

"He's fine, thanks to me. He went on ahead to find Adrien."

"No!" the princess cried. "He could get hurt! There's no telling what Adrien will do to him!"

"Relax, girl," Alya said. "Nino knows what he's doing. He's done the whole Akuma thing before, remember?"

Marinette shook her head slowly. "Alya, I tried to tell Adrien who I was," she explained sorrowfully. "But there was no love in his eyes at all. They weren't even _his_ eyes – they were Hawkmoth's." The princess swallowed hard, and for a moment she thought her heart would break open again. "I thought I could bring Adrien back; I thought I could make him remember me. But I was wrong."

Alya snorted. "I think you're going about this the wrong way, Mari," she said softly. "How can Adrien possibly remember _you_ when he's lost sight of who _he_ is?"

Marinette blinked up at her in confusion, eyes wide.

"Do you think you would have fallen in love with him if he hadn't robbed your carriage last month?" Alya explained. "You'd probably be married to Prince Theo by now, and meanwhile Adrien would still be on the run from Hawkmoth. Nothing would have changed for either of you... until _he_ made the choice to go to the ball to see you." Alya placed a hand on Marinette's shoulder. "In my opinion, _your_ life changed because of _him_ , not the other way around."

A great hush fell over the forest.

Marinette gasped, the realization of it all hitting her like a wave of cold water.

Unconsciously, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her lucky charm. _Adrien's_ lucky charm.

 _You actually kept it._

 _I promised I would, didn't I?_

 _That's_ who Adrien really was – a boy who kept all of his promises close to his heart. A thief who had sacrificed the golden fairy dust to save a stranger he barely knew rather than let her die. A prince who looked after the innocent and downtrodden; who lived among them as their equal and not as their superior.

 _How could I have been so stupid?_

Marinette gripped the lucky charm tightly and turned back to Alya with hardened resolve. "You're right," she stated with a grin. "And I think I just figured out how to jog Adrien's memory."

* * *

The sky brightened from black to grey just as Cat Noir made it to a smaller hill overlooking the other side of the village. Bruel was only a walking distance away, but the thief didn't need to walk.

Pulling out Ladybug's bow, Cat Noir knelt quietly behind a large tree. All he needed was one shot, and the chaos would begin.

 _The traitor dies first, along with his darling flower girl. Show them all what happens when they oppose my rule._

"Understood, my master," the thief complied as he loaded a black arrow.

Peeking around the tree, he looked down to see several peasants flocking out into the frigid autumn morning. All of them were dressed in layers, so it was harder to find his target.

But not too hard. A buff man in blacksmith's attire emerged onto the main road, along with a pretty plump girl with braided hair. The man had his arm around her, as though trying to shield her from the cold, and she looked up at him with a smile just as warm.

It made Cat Noir sick and he turned away. _The sooner I get this over with, the better. I shan't keep my master waiting._

The thief drew the arrow back. Then he leapt out of his hiding spot and took aim.

The traitor was now laughing at something his lover said.

 _A last laugh indeed_ , Cat Noir thought with a grin as he released the arrow.

Unfortunately, _something_ tackled him just as he let the arrow fly. He heard it sail up into the sky – way off target – and he fell with an "Umph!" into a whirl of snow and leaves. The bow tumbled from his hands as he rolled to a stop.

Snapping up, Cat Noir's mouth fell open as his assailant scrambled up into a fighting stance: his brown eyes furrowed, twin hatchets in hand.

The thief shook his head with angry glower. "Big mistake," he said to the dark-skinned man before him.

"Oh, believe me," the young huntsman growled. "I've done worse."

"Then this should be child's play for both of us," Cat Noir jeered as he pulled out his staff.

The two men charged at each other, their weapons colliding with a loud _clang!_

The huntsman easily hooked the metal staff with his hatchets and swung it – and Cat Noir – aside, knocking him back down. Cat Noir swiped at the huntsman again, this time throwing in a few nasty kicks to the abdomen. It wasn't long before his opponent was forced to back up against a tree.

"Come on, dude," the huntsman panted as he parried another strike. "Snap out of it! This isn't you! I won't let him turn you into a monster like he almost did me!"

 _He sounds just like that princess_ , Cat Noir thought with a snort.

 _Playtime is over. Make him suffer, Cat Noir._

The thief was happy to obey.

He somersaulted backwards, kicking one the huntsman's little axes away before springing forward and swiping the other one away with his staff.

Weaponless, the huntsman grabbed onto Cat Noir's staff, obviously to wrench it free from the thief's grasp. _Pathetic._

Cat Noir rolled onto his back and flipped the man right over him, sending the huntsman sprawling onto the cold ground.

The man grunted and reached into his leather vest. Cat Noir saw it coming before _he_ did.

Lightning fast, he dropped his staff and dodged a small throwing knife before rolling along the ground right next to the huntsman. Then, before the man could retaliate, Cat Noir grabbed onto his outstretched arm... and gave it a good backwards yank.

The huntsman screamed as his shoulder dislocated. He sank to the ground, panting heavily through his teeth as he gripped his bad arm with his good one.

Cat Noir cackled. "Who's the hunter now?" he cooed darkly.

He stepped idly past the wounded warrior and kicked his staff back up into his hand. Then Cat Noir turned back to the huntsman, who gazed up at him with something that looked like pity.

 _Excellent work, my boy. Now... finish him off._

Cat Noir walked up to the kneeling man and raised his staff over his shoulder – an executioner readying for the killing blow.

" _No!_ "

Cat Noir failed to stop in time, just as another person leaped between him and his victim.

The staff swung... and collided with the body of a copper-haired girl. She fell over to the side and lay on the ground in a twisted heap, utterly still.

Cat Noir gasped... and a combined surge of fear and confusion shot right through him.

" _Marinette_!" another voice shrieked from behind him. A _female_ voice.

The thief turned to see a strange, cloaked girl with bushy auburn hair running towards him, only to halt right next to the wounded huntsman upon meeting Cat Noir's stunned gaze. Her eyes burned devilish yellow, causing the thief to reel back. Why was he acting like this?

Cat Noir looked back towards the fallen princess. Ladybug. Her name was Ladybug... and his master told him not to harm her. There were so many thoughts juggling in Cat Noir's head: _This wasn't supposed to happen! How did she escape?_

All the while, he could hear his master's angry shouts in the back of his mind, but Cat Noir couldn't discern the words. What was happening to him? And why did his chest feel so heavy all of the sudden?

Cat Noir unconsciously dropped his staff as he wobbled over to Ladybug, who was wincing in such pain and gripping the sore side of her chest as she tried to sit up.

The redhead hissed like a wild animal, but then the huntsman gripped her with his good hand. "Don't," he urged her gently. "Not yet."

Cat Noir glanced between them and Ladybug, unsure what to make of all this. Who was the fiery she-demon? Why wasn't the huntsman attacking him or trying to make his escape? How did Ladybug escape from her bonds?

He was so shaken he could barely get his words out properly. "Why...? Why would you do something like this?"

Ladybug shrugged as though it was no big deal, though there were a few groans here and there. "Well... you said... you preferred actions... more than words," she said as she stared up at her attacker with soft bluebell eyes. They weren't filled with pain or hate, but... kindness? It didn't make any sense to Cat Noir.

"So now," Ladybug continued between breaths, "you're going to get _both_." She seemed to smile at the thief. "Hawkmoth may control what's in your mind, but..." She winced again. "...he can't control what's in your heart."

Cat Noir's mind went blank.

At that moment, his master's voice returned: _I can't afford any more annoying obstacles in my path to victory. She's nothing but a bad influence on you now. Eliminate her, Cat Noir._

The thief stared at no one and nothing in particular, his confusion growing deeper. _But you said she's more useful alive_ , he retorted in his mind. _There's no point-_

That agonizing pain returned, and Cat Noir grasped his head as though it was being squeezed by invisible hands.

 _I gave you an order, Cat Noir! I am your master now, and you will do as I say! ELIMINATE HER!_

Cat Noir hissed and opened his eyes, only to see Ladybug giving him that strange smile again.

He had no choice now. He _had_ to kill her.

Only this time... he didn't want to. Not until he knew _why_ , anyway.

Then Ladybug spoke up again, "You are not a villain, Adrien. You are kind, and brave, and loyal... and reckless and stubborn and... terrible at puns." She hissed a painful laugh and bent over before looking back up at him. "And I love you."

Cat Noir shook his head incredulously. "But I don't love you!" he claimed, though something tugged at his heartstrings as he said that. "I don't even _remember_ you!"

"I don't care!" the princess stated firmly. Tears formed in her beautiful blue eyes. "The only thing I care about is that you never forget who _you_ really are." She paused and allowed herself to catch her breath again before saying with such softness, yet such profound strength: "I would rather die than let you fill your heart with darkness."

Cat Noir's face slackened. A shiver ran through him. It felt cold and warm at the same time; weird... but peaceful. _What did she just say?_

It was one thing for a person to accept death when they were in a fight they knew they couldn't win. But this...

"You would be willing to die?" Cat Noir asked Ladybug in a heartbreakingly-gentle tone. "For _me_?"

Ladybug groaned with annoyance this time. "Do I look like I'm making this up?" she asked before she cried out again.

His master was very angry now; practically screaming at Cat Noir to obey him and throwing in the words "fool" and "insolent" and "pathetic" in there.

But the thief ignored him... because this strange girl's words were much sweeter to hear.

Cat Noir knelt right in front of Ladybug. As he stared into her eyes, he could almost remember what it was like to care about someone; to give everything you had for that person no matter how terrible things were. He could almost see himself standing in a brightly-lit orchard; almost feel a gentle hand stroking his golden hair; almost hear music in the background – a slow, beautiful waltz.

"No one..." Cat Noir murmured to Ladybug. "No one's ever done anything like that for me before." He could feel his eyes burning up, and the ghost of a smile appeared on his face – a gentle smile; a good smile. "No one's ever been willing to... to _die_ for someone like me," he said.

The princess forced a matching smile through her pain-stricken face. "No one you can remember?" she offered as she held out her hand to him.

Cat Noir looked down.

A pretty, beaded bracelet sat in Ladybug's palm, the large chunk of jade gleaming from the light upon the snow. It looked like a good luck charm.

Curious, Cat Noir reached out to touch it.

Suddenly, he was standing with the princess on a hill overlooking a glorious castle. She wasn't hurt, and she was smiling at him sadly. She didn't want him to go.

Then he was watching her descend a marble staircase, dressed in such a gorgeous red gown that it made his heart stop.

Then he was holding onto her hand as he dangled her over the side of a huge ravine. But not to drop her... No. He was trying to _save_ her. He had _chosen_ to save her... just like she was now choosing to die at his hand.

 _What is happening? How are you blocking me? STOP!_

Cat Noir ignored his master – Hawkmoth, the princess had called him.

 _His_ princess. His... lady.

Cat Noir reached up and touched Ladybug's face.

She seemed surprised at first, but then her glistening eyes softened at his touch.

And as they both leaned towards each other, Cat Noir closed his eyes... and a single tear escaped him.

Their lips met, and a great wave of light washed over him.

At the same time, the dark angry voice inside his head let out one final enraged scream before it faded into nothingness.

* * *

He opened his eyes... and he knew.

He was Prince Adrien of Agreste – only son and heir of King Gabriel, who was dead, and Queen Vivienne, who he was trying to save.

But he was also Cat Noir – a thief, a hunter, a rebel, and an exile who had spent a whole year trying to put an end to his stepfather's tyranny.

And the girl he had just kissed, with those sparkling, fiery blue eyes that opened up to meet his green ones...

 _Marinette_.

Adrien smiled, and another tear ran down his face. "Ladybug," he sighed with such joy and sorrow and relief and hurt and love.

She beamed at him and cupped his face in her hands. "Yes, Kitty," she cried softly. "It's me."

Then they were kissing again, only this time much deeper and fiercer than before. Adrien could feel his mended heart roaring back to life, and he wrapped his arms around his princess so tightly he never wanted to let go.

That is, until she winced in pain again. "Ow, ow, ow," she moaned into his mouth.

Adrien pulled away instantly and cringed. "Oh... uh... sorry?" he offered up.

His Ladybug snickered. "I'll walk it off," she panted as he lifted her back to her feet. "I'm just glad you're back, you dumb cat."

Adrien grinned bigger. "That is _definitely_ a new one."

He kissed her again, so fast and so many times that she started giggling.

Then Nino was calling, "I'm fine too, thanks for asking!"

The two lovers stopped and glanced over at him, Adrien looking sheepish and Ladybug looking flustered that the huntsman was ruining their long-awaited moment.

"Don't mind me," Nino mumbled with displeasure as Alya worked to relocate his arm. "Just sitting here with a twisted arm and enjoying the – AAAHH!"

Both Adrien and Ladybug squirmed uncomfortably when they heard a crunching SNAP!

Nino howled like an angry donkey and shook his pained arm out.

The shape-shifter huffed at him. "I had no idea royal military men were such whiny cry-babies," she teased with a smirk.

Nino exchanged a glance with Adrien, which the thief understood as, "I forgive you, but you owe me for this later."

Just then, Adrien heard movement in the trees. Thunder? He could feel it in the ground beneath him.

Then Ladybug gasped, and the entire group turned to see several unfriendly shapes emerge down the trail, each one glad in blue and silver.

"The Bourgeois!" the princess uttered fearfully.

Adrien stiffened. _No, not now!_ Thinking quickly, he reached over and pulled Ladybug's hood over her head. Even with her newly-coloured hair, he couldn't take any chances.

The soldiers formed a ring around the foursome, their helmed faces drawn into scowls, their hands itching towards their swords. At the end of the group, a small wagon drawn by a single horse turned and blocked the trail.

Adrien's gut tightened.

The wagon wasn't a wagon at all: it was an iron cage on wheels. A prisoner cart.

Adrien pulled Ladybug closer to him as the guards on horses dismounted. He reached for his staff, only to realize with terror that he had dropped it somewhere.

So many things happened at once:

They went for Alya first, because she was the first to stand up to them. One beefy-looking guard grabbed her by both arms despite her attempts to throw him off. Soon the soldier had her in a rough embrace, and the shape-shifter kept lashing out with her feet.

Nino had tried to help her, but two men forced him to his knees with their swords at this throat. The huntsman then made the mistake of reaching for another throwing knife, but one of the guards banged him on the back with the pommel of his sword, sending Nino flat on his stomach.

Meanwhile, Adrien felt Ladybug's arms being torn away from him. "No!" he shouted as a thick, meaty arm wrapped itself around his neck. "Get off her!"

"Let me go!" Ladybug cried as she writhed in the grip of her captive, which quickly became two as soon as Adrien was out of the way. She growled at them as she tried to wrench free, but they had a good hold on both her arms.

The guard holding Adrien kicked the backs of his knees with a hard boot, forcing the boy to sink to the ground with a grunt. Adrien gritted his teeth and thrashed with all his might, but the guard only squeezed him harder, which in turn crushed Adrien's windpipe. The thief had no choice but to cease his struggling... for now.

The Bourgeois captain wasn't hard to miss. His swagger and arrogant expression said it all as he observed the apprehended exiles. "Now, what do we have here, gentlemen?" he announced with a sneer. "A lovely pair of turtle doves walking in the woods."

The other soldiers chuckled unkindly, making Adrien's blood boil.

One of the men pointed a hard finger at Alya. "I know you!" he spat, revealing his gold-flecked teeth. "You're the witch who turned into a raging beast and bit me!"

Alya sneered at him. "I _thought_ I caught the scent of tobacco and rotten teeth," she mused as she tried to throw her captor off to no avail.

"Oh, and call her "witch" or "raging beast" again," Nino cut in, shooting the guard a death glare from below, "and you'll need to replace your entire jaw."

The captain growled at him, "Mind your place, you filthy peasant, in the presence of Her Majesty's Royal Guard."

Adrien frowned up at him. " _Her_ Majesty?" he wheezed due to the grip around his neck. "Who are you talking about?"

"Queen Chloe, of course," the captain praised with a fist to his chest. "Long may she rule!"

"Long may she rule!" the others saluted in unison.

A pit of anger rose inside Adrien. If Chloe was the Queen of Bourgeois now, then that could only mean one thing: her father King Andre was dead. The only question was... how did it happen? Knowing how ruthless and cruel Chloe had been when she threatened Marinette, Adrien got the ominous feeling that he knew _exactly_ what had happened. _I wonder if her brother knows._

The Bourgeois captain's dark eyes fell on Ladybug... and he paused.

Adrien's heart rang in his chest as he watched the captain trot over to his princess and rip her hood away, causing her coppery ponytails to slip out.

The man tilted his head... and grinned with triumph. "Princess Marinette," he said in a sourly-sweet tone. "So you have graced us with your presence at last."

Ladybug thanked him by spitting his face – _very_ unladylike.

The captain scowled at her and wiped the spittle off. "Treacherous witch. Our noble queen shall finally see justice done on you." He beckoned to the prisoner cart. "Load her up!"

Ladybug cried out as the two guards dragged her over to the iron cage – slowly, because she was making it _extremely_ difficult for them. "You can't do this!" she shrieked to the captain. "You're risking open war with Dupain-Cheng! Do you really want to bring that upon on your own people?!"

"We're _soldiers_ ," the captain snapped back. "It's high time we had a little war for a change. It'll be good for the people."

The princess shrieked again as the guards opened the cage and tried to stuff her inside.

Watching it all awakened something very wild inside Adrien – and very angry.

He caught Nino's gaze. Then Alya's. They both nodded at him.

Then all three of them attacked.

The thief hammered an elbow into his guard's ribcage, causing the man to let go and stumble back... only to get another elbow right in the face. Adrien then swung a leg around and tripped the soldier up.

At the same time, Alya's eyes turned bright amber and she bit into the arm of her own guard. He howled and loosened his grip, allowing the shape-shifter to heave him right over her and sending him tumbling just as her entire body began to glow.

Nino leapt to his feet, batting away the two swords pointed at him, before grabbing onto both the soldiers' tunics and crashing them together. Their helmets met with a loud _CLANG!_ before they toppled to the ground, stunned.

One of them came to a bit early and tried to charge at the huntsman... only to be tackled by a red-furred vixen. The man screamed and clawed uselessly as Alya tore into his shoulder and shook him like rag doll, growling viciously.

The Bourgeois captain's face paled. "Retreat!" he shouted to his remaining unit.

Adrien finished knocking out another guard before snapping up at the wagon. The door to the cage slammed shut with a resounding clash of metal.

Ladybug shook at the bars as she peered through them at her beloved. "Adrien!" she cried.

The thief scrambled to his feet and rushed towards the wagon as it began to pull away. "Let her go!" he roared.

The soldier who had closed the cage turned and drew his sword at the boy.

Adrien swung right under it and punched the man hard in the abdomen several times. Unfortunately, doing so left him wide open for another swipe of the guard's blade.

Adrien let out a painful " _Dah!_ " as a hot slash drove along his left arm, tearing open the black fabric and leaving a nasty, bleeding gash. He was so startled by the blow that he barely had time to block a swinging fist with his good arm.

The guard grinned wickedly and bashed the thief's face with the hilt of his sword, sending Adrien onto his back. His vision was hazy, his teeth vibrated, and he tasted blood.

"Stop it!" he heard Ladybug cry, along with the heavy banging of metal against metal. "Leave him alone!"

Adrien rolled and kicked out at his opponent, managing to hit him square in the jaw. But then a steel-toed boot rammed into his middle, making him coil into a tight ball with a groan. Then the guard kicked him again. And again. Adrien coughed and sputtered something hot, but all he could understand right now was the unyielding pain shooting through his body.

Then the blows stopped and he gasped for breath, each one more painful than the last.

The all-too-familiar sound of a blade unsheathing made his wounded insides freeze.

"NO!" Ladybug screamed, and Adrien instinctively reached out to her.

" _Enough!_ " a hard voice lashed out through the air.

Adrien squinted through his eyelids at the Bourgeois captain, who was already newly-mounted on his stallion.

"I told you to fall back, soldier!" the captain barked as he cast a wary eye at Nino and Alya, who now turned towards them. "Move – on the double!"

The guard seemed to sag with disappointment, but he obeyed – though not without dealing another kick to Adrien for good measure.

The thief spat out blood and tried to lift himself up, even though his body screamed at him not to.

"Try to follow us," the captain announced to the three remaining rogues, "and the princess will be the first to die!"

Adrien heard a deep, throaty growl not far from him. Alya _clearly_ was not happy with that statement. And neither was Adrien.

"No..." he croaked before coughing again. When he finally rose to his knees, he heard the lash of a whip, the pounding of hooves, and the squeaky creak of rolling wheels. Adrien looked up... and his lady was reaching at him through the bars as they carried her away.

"Ladybug!" Adrien cried, forcing himself to stand up, albeit while hunched over.

"Adrien, don't!" the princess called out. "They'll kill you!"

He didn't care. He didn't care if they struck him with several crossbow bolts or ran him through with several swords. He wasn't going to let them take the love of his life.

But then two other hands gripped him. Another guard?

"It's too late, Adrien."

No – Nino.

"They're too many and you're too injured," the huntsman said with reluctance. "Live to fight another day."

But what if he _had_ no other day? What if their first kiss had been their last?

He felt something hard underneath his foot. Looking down, Adrien saw a string of colourful beads.

Ladybug's lucky charm.

Adrien's eyes watered – whether from pain or grief, he did not know. And he knew with a heavy heart his best friend was right.

But that didn't mean this was the end.

Adrien bent down and picked up the lucky charm. Grasping it tightly, he looked back towards Ladybug with a solemn expression. "I'll find you, my lady!" he called out with all the strength and hope and love he could muster: "Wherever you are, I will always find you!"

Though it was faint, he heard her brave voice in the distance: "I know you will!"

And as he watched her tear-streaked face shrink away into the distance, Adrien believed her.

Because one way or another, he was going to get her back.


	16. 3:4: The Plot Thickens

**PART 3:**

 _ **Chapter 4:**_

 _ **The Plot Thickens**_

Ominous bells tolled from the high tower of Castle Bourgeois, signaling the coming of death.

Marinette held her chin high, her face bereft of fear or regret, as a squad of seven royal guards led her through the castle gates and down the main street. Her hands were bound with rope, and two of the guards held another one tied to the princess's waist.

It had all been part of Queen Chloe's grand scheme of humiliation. First, the princess of Dupain-Cheng was to be clothed only in a long, white chemise, and her hair was to have no arrangements whatsoever. Second, Marinette was to be escorted by guards to the main square of the city, where she would face execution by firing squad. In addition, she was to walk the entire way barefoot.

The queen had described it as a "walk of repentance", so that everyone in the kingdom would see all of Marinette's "sins" laid bare. Marinette almost laughed at the idea. _If true love is a sin_ , she thought to herself, _then Chloe is the most holy of us all._

So now here she was: marching ever-so-slowly to her doom, her burnt-umber hair cascading in waves past her shoulders, and her feet sore and freezing from the cold, hard cobblestones.

The street was lined with citizens and soldiers, all of them watching the procession wordlessly. Marinette didn't bother to look any of them in the eye. These were not her people, and she didn't want their pity or their glee.

In the back of her mind, she thought about Adrien: where he was; what he was doing now. Would he find her in time? Marinette doubted it. It had been several days since she last saw Adrien, and he'd still be about half-a-day's ride from Bourgeois by now. But clinging to hope – even a fool's hope – was the princess's only option now. _If I should die today, I'll find Adrien in the next life._

The only other thing Marinette wished for was to see her parents again, and her sister. She at least wanted to say goodbye to them. _Mother, Father, I hope you both understand. And Bridgette, I know you'll be a great queen someday. I'm just sorry I won't be there to see it._

According to what Chloe and some of her guards have said, Marinette's letter to her family had driven a large wedge between their two kingdoms. So large, in fact, that King Thomas and Queen Sabine had nullified the treaty instantaneously and then stormed out of Bourgeois with their entire entourage. What they were doing now, no one had a clue. There were rumours among the babbling nobility that Dupain-Cheng was preparing for war, or that the king and queen had sent their best spies and mercenaries to bring their daughter back home.

Whatever the case, Marinette's parents probably had no idea that their youngest little girl was about to be executed by the family she almost married into.

Marinette and her escort finally arrived at the main square, where an even bigger crowd gathered. At the centre, a tall wooden pole had been set up for all to see. Three archers stood in a line several feet from the pole, awaiting further orders. There was also a portable throne, upon which sat Her Royal Majesty herself.

Chloe was dressed entirely in royal blue, with an A-line skirt, extended sleeves hanging over the armrests of her throne, and a sharp white collar that reminded Marinette of a jagged dragon wing. Apparently, this was one execution where the queen wanted to look her absolute best.

On Chloe's left stood the herald from the masquerade ball. Even without his costume, he still looked like a plump rooster.

On Chloe's right stood Prince Theo, dressed all in black and gazing upon Marinette with remorse. _Is he sorry for almost marrying me_ , the princess wondered, _or sorry that he couldn't be the man I wanted to be with?_ Either way, Marinette gave him a small nod that said, "I'm sorry too." Despite his faults, Marinette knew deep down that Theo was a gentle soul. _I hope he soon realizes what a monster his sister has become._

Speaking of the devil, Marinette met Chloe's eyes across the square. The queen's mouth curled upward. _If she's looking for mercy or forgiveness_ , Marinette thought bitterly, _she'll be disappointed._

The procession stopped before the queen's throne. The seven guards bowed low. Their prisoner didn't move an inch.

Queen Chloe raised a hand, and several golden bracelets fell about her wrists like jingling bells. Marinette knew how much Chloe hated showing any skin.

The entire square went as silent as the grave.

The herald stepped forward, cleared his throat, and held up a curling roll of parchment.

"By order of Her Royal Majesty, Queen Chloe of the kingdom of Bourgeois," the heavy man announced with his booming voice, "the prisoner – Her Royal Highness Princess Marinette of the kingdom of Dupain-Cheng – has been brought before the people on this day to face the Queen's Justice for crimes against the kingdom of Bourgeois! Such crimes are as follows: plotting against the royal family of Bourgeois..."

Marinette rolled her eyes.

"...conspiring with a notorious criminal wanted for royal murder, aiding in the escape of said criminal, partaking in adultery with said criminal..."

"Oh, bugger off!" Marinette growled.

"Silence!" Queen Chloe commanded.

"...breaking her sworn pact to His Royal Highness Prince Theo of the kingdom of Bourgeois," the herald continued, "resisting arrest, and personally attacking several respectable men of the Bourgeois Royal Guard!"

"I'd _hardly_ call them "respectable"," Marinette retorted.

This time, Chloe shouted, "Enough, or I'll have your tongue!" That earned her a stern glare from her brother.

The herald fidgeted with the parchment and stammered, "The... The prisoner has been found guilty of all... of all these charges, and as such... on this day... by order of Her Royal Majesty Queen Chlo-"

"Yeah, yeah, we get the picture," Marinette said irritably. "Just get it over with!"

The poor herald dropped his parchment and cringed away. There were a few snickers from the crowd.

Chloe waved the man away and stood from her throne. "Princess Marinette," she called, even though she was standing right in front of her, "In case you don't yet realize it, you stand here accused of treason of the highest sort against my kingdom and my crown. Do you deny it?"

"Yes," Marinette declared. "You wanted the people to see me for what I truly am? Well, here I am: a princess whose only crime was following her heart!"

Chloe huffed and stepped closer to her. "You could have had everything your pitiful little heart desired," she snarled in a low tone. "All you had to do was marry my brother. Instead, you threw it all away. And for what?" The queen stepped back and sneered. "Oh, that's right – _true love_." She said those last two words in a girly voice etched with venom.

In the corner of her eye, Marinette saw Theo shift uneasily in his spot. "Where is your voice in this?" she asked him directly. "You know this is wrong."

"How dare you speak to my brother?!" Chloe hissed. "You, who broke his heart and left him for a thieving _nobody_!"

"Sister, please," Theo muttered.

"Quiet," the queen snapped. "I'm doing what's best for us, Theo."

Marinette's face contorted with anger. "Is that what you told yourself when you murdered your own father?" she asked for all to hear.

There was a collective gasp from the people.

Theo's face paled, his brown eyes widening as he glanced between his sister and his former bride.

Chloe turned back to Marinette. If her eyes could kill, they most surely would have.

Marinette held her chin high once again. "If my "sins" must be laid bare, then so should yours!" she asserted. "King Andre was recovering when I ran away from the wedding. So tell me, _Your Majesty_ , how did he die so suddenly and so mysteriously?"

The people chattered silently amongst each other like a hoard of mice that had just discovered a whole block of rare cheese.

Theo spoke again, this time in a hard croak, "Chloe... is this true?"

The queen shot Marinette a cursed glower before glancing over her shoulder at her brother. "Our _dear_ father was weak and imbecilic," she declared angrily. "Bourgeois was once a mighty empire, where every man, woman and child had something to be honoured for! But because of _him_ and his soft-hearted, sensitive laws, we are now licking the boots of our neighbours, scrimping and scraping to cling onto whatever shred of honour we have left!"

Now no one in the crowd was being silent. Tones of fear, confusion and uncertainty rang out in all directions. Marinette could feel it in her bare arms, even through the frigid cold.

Theo looked like he was going to hyperventilate. He staggered back a bit, shaking his head. It made Marinette even more deeply sorry for him.

"This kingdom needs a strong ruler to restore it to its former glory!" Chloe continued as she eyed Marinette once more. "And I will let nothing stand in my way... especially not something as hopeless and pathetic as love!"

Marinette couldn't help but grin at the paranoid queen. "Losing my life over love?" she asked proudly. "That's a sacrifice I am happy to make!"

The queen's blue eye twitched... and then she shrugged. "As you wish," she said before sweeping back to her throne. Chloe then sat down delicately and announced, "The prisoner has been found guilty of all charges, and I hereby sentence her to death!"

Marinette continued to stare expressionlessly at the queen as her escort of guards dragged her to the wooden pole in the middle of the square.

There were several outcries of "No!" and "This is outrageous!" and "Bad form!" from the crowd.

But the worst was Theo. "Chloe, stop! This is madness!" the prince cried as he tried to rush after Marinette.

Unfortunately, the other guards watching over the queen blocked Theo's way with their pikes.

All around Marinette, there was chaos. The commoners raised their voices, declaring false judgement and begging mercy from their new queen. But there were too many soldiers holding them back. They couldn't fight back even if they wanted to.

 _At least now they know the truth_ , Marinette thought as she was forced to lean against the pole. _With any luck, Chloe's new "empire" will crumble from within._

Her arms were bound around the pole behind her. One guard prepared to blindfold her eyes.

"No!" Queen Chloe barked. "I want to look into her eyes when she meets her end!"

Theo pushed against the barricade holding back, but the guards kept him at bay.

Marinette only narrowed her eyes. "I won't give you the satisfaction, Chloe!" she shouted back.

The seven guards stepped aside, and a great hush fell over the square.

"Archers at the ready!" the queen called.

The three men standing several paces away from Marinette unsheathed one arrow each and nocked them.

The princess closed her eyes and took a few final deep breaths: one, two, three... "I love you, Adrien," she whispered to the wind.

Then Chloe gave the life-ending order: "Fire!"

Marinette heard the rhythmic twang of bows...

... but there was no impact, no pain. Nothing.

But there _were_ more sounds of shock from the crowd.

 _Don't tell me the archers actually missed_ , a dumbfounded Marinette thought. She creaked her eyelids open... and gasped.

Three golden-fletched arrows hovered in the air mere inches from her breast.

Then, as one, they burst into fire and ash.

Marinette was the first to look around to see who or what had saved her life.

Queen Chloe was the second, rising straight out of her throne with outrage. "What is the meaning of this?!" she shouted.

A deep laugh – colder than the ground beneath Marinette's bare feet – echoed through the air and silenced the astounded onlookers.

The princess's relief immediately turned to terror. _No, not_ him _!_ She looked over to her left, where the crowd was already parting away fearfully.

Then a new procession entered the square: four armed Akuma Guards, and at their centre – the silver-masked Sorcerer King himself.

He wore heavily-leathered, heavily-furred winter attire, all in his usual dark purple. He still carried that jewelled cane, which he happily clinked along the ground as he strode over to stand between a tense Marinette and the three perplexed archers.

"Sorry for interrupting what would have been a most gratifying execution, Your Majesty," Hawkmoth called to Chloe, resting both hands on his cane. "But I'm afraid I must intervene."

The queen didn't take the wizard's unexpected arrival very kindly this time. "You better have a good reason for doing so, Lord Hawkmoth," she said sourly as she scampered over to meet him. Her brother tried to follow, but once again the guards wouldn't let him through. "Need I remind you that _this_ is the girl who conspired with your stepson?" Chloe grumbled.

"Oh, I know _exactly_ who she is," Hawkmoth purred as he looked over at Marinette. Those icy blue eyes once again made her squirm. "And I would be more than happy to take her off your shoulders for you."

Chloe's blue eyes brightened a little. "Go on," she said.

The Sorcerer King grinned at her. "I am prepared to offer you every single coin Dupain-Cheng promised you," he proclaimed. "All I ask for in exchange..." He angled his head at Marinette once more. "...is your brother's runaway bride."

The princess stiffened and glared defiantly at Hawkmoth. "I am not some slave at an auction!" she snapped. "And I will not go with you without a fight!"

"I don't expect you to, my little bug," the king rumbled with a smirk. "And fret not – you'll be much safer in _my_ hands than our dear queen's."

Marinette snorted mirthlessly. "Somehow I doubt that."

Chloe seemed to mimic her displeasure. "Why would I want to hand her over to you unscathed," she asked the king, "when I can just keep her and kill her off myself?"

Hawkmoth pivoted back to the queen. "Don't think me benevolent, Your Majesty," he said with cold contentment. "I assure you, she will still suffer for both of our... _humiliations_."

Now Marinette understood. She had robbed the king of Adrien, and now she was to take her beloved's place as Hawkmoth's prisoner.

"Chloe!" Theo shouted from the far side of the square. "Don't do this!"

But the queen ignored him and gave Hawkmoth a sultry smirk. "Deal," she affirmed.

Panic rose in Marinette's throat as the Akuma Guards walked over and cut her bonds.

"Arrangements for the gold transfer are being made as I speak," Hawkmoth said to Chloe with a deep bow. "Why don't we discuss the details of our new union up at the castle, where it's much warmer?"

Queen Chloe nodded sweetly and signalled for Theo and her guards to follow her.

The king walked with her, and Marinette struggled as two Akumas pulled her alongside their master.

Then Chloe asked, "For the sake of sating my curiosity, how do you intend to make that traitor suffer?"

Marinette glowered at Chloe. _You are the traitor, you black-hearted fool_ , her bluebell eyes sang in silence.

But her bitterness turned to alarm as Hawkmoth replied with wicked smugness, "By using her to destroy her one, true love: Prince Adrien."

This time, no one in the square was more horrified than Princess Marinette of Dupain-Cheng.

And this time, as she was being led away by soldiers, the princess didn't go willingly. She fought and clawed and kicked and shouted all the way back up to the castle.

* * *

 _It's a good thing those Bourgeois like their shiny armour_ , Adrien thought as he squinted through his spyglass, _otherwise they'd be impossible to see in the dark._

About a few miles out stood that golden-rimmed castle, glowing hideously in the moonlight like Adrien remembered the last time he had visited. The only difference now was the heavily-fortified defences that prevented even a squirrel from sneaking in.

A faint rustling of branches made Adrien turn his head.

A dark form kneeled next to him. "What do you got?" Nino whispered.

Adrien passed him the spyglass. "Nothing good," he replied grimly. "There's a guard at every parapet, and there are too many archers taking positions above the gate."

"Well, we already figured we weren't going to try the front door anyway," the huntsman said with a shrug as he inspected the castle himself. "Look at all those torches. Even if we _did_ manage to get in, we'll still be easily spotted."

Adrien's mouth curled into a confident grin. "So we use that to our advantage," he proposed as he slid stealthily threw the brush and back up the hill. Nino followed him closely.

Once they were safely out of sight of the castle's watchtowers, the two rogues stood and rushed back to where their friends had set up camp on the edge of the Enchanted Forest.

Max was hovering over a layout of the castle courtyard he had drawn in the thin layer of snow. Soldiers were marked with pebbles... and there were a lot of pebbles.

Alya, Kim and Ivan were doing an inventory check of all the weapons and ammunition they had at their disposal. They used to have only a few small hunting knives, meager arrows, and the occasional slingshot. But thanks to Ivan, who was a blacksmith, they now had an assortment of swords, hammers, grappling hooks and steel-tipped arrows to choose from.

Ivan had told Adrien it was the least he could do to compensate the thief for saving his life. Adrien had gladly thanked him, though it still pained him to remember that, only days ago, he had been one shot away from ending the blacksmith's life. _That wasn't you_ , Nino had assured him. _And if anyone can understand that better than anyone, it's Ivan._

Meanwhile, Mylene was busy helping Rose mix a bunch of powders and liquids together into various potions, all of which were grouped by colour. The florist's keen knowledge of mystical flowers and plants combined with the healer's expertise was sure to produce a very interesting arsenal of bombs to give them an advantage over the Bourgeois.

Nathaniel was standing guard with a crossbow, stiffening whenever he saw movement. Adrien knew the bard's tension was not a result of fear for himself... but fear for someone who was currently unaccounted for: Juleka. The spy had decided to do some digging in town and find out any information about Queen Chloe or Marinette that could prove beneficial to the rescue mission. Nate kept his eyes on the darkness, waiting anxiously for his beloved to emerge. _I know how he feels_ , Adrien thought with a sigh.

Everyone looked up as Adrien and Nino trotted into their circle.

Alya immediately knew from their expressions how their odds were looking. "Let me guess," she said. "Too many guards armed to the teeth and not enough ways in without sounding the alarm?"

"Right on target," Nino praised mirthlessly.

"But there's one way in that we _can_ try;" Adrien explained, "a secret door in the wall on the far west side that can only be opened from within. If I can get over the wall, I can let everyone else in. All I need is a distraction – something that won't set the guards off too much."

Nathaniel glanced over his shoulder at him. "Leave that to me," he stated. "I'll give them a good show."

Adrien nodded.

"Once we're all inside," Nino said, pointing at Max's map, "we'll need to split up into three teams: two on either side of the parapets, and one in the courtyard. Take down as many soldiers as you can, and make it look like we're shooting straight for the castle entrance."

"Won't they be expecting that?" Ivan asked.

"Oh, I'm counting on it," Adrien replied with a smile, "because in the meantime, I'll use the service stairwell I used during my last visit to get inside. I'll sneak in and find Marinette, and then we'll both meet you guys the throne room..."

"Where we will capture Queen Bee and order her to call off her forces," Alya finished with a grin. "Sounds like my kind of break-in."

"There's still the matter of any extra battalions _inside_ the castle," Max pointed out with an anxious glance up at Adrien. "How do you plan on facing them?"

The thief tried not to grimace as he said, "I'll figure it out when I get there."

The short, dark-skinned boy shook his head. "Improvisation is the first step to failure," he warned.

"Or the first step to a better plan," Kim added optimistically.

"Thank you, Kim," Alya said sweetly. "Mylene, Rose... how much more time do you need?"

The little blonde healer looked up from her potion kit. "We're halfway through the last batch," she stated. "About ten minutes or –"

 _SNAP!_

Everyone leapt into action, weapons raised at one of the bushes behind them. Nino and Kim immediately had their bows armed and ready.

A tall, cloaked figure emerged from the bush. Then her copper eyes saw them and she waved her hands frantically.

"Don't shoot – it's me!" Juleka cried.

There was a collective sigh of relief, and then Nathaniel lowered his crossbow and embraced her.

"Gods, Jules! Give a signal next time," Alya complained as she sheathed her dagger. "Whistle, cough... something!"

Adrien strode up to the spy. "What did you find out?" he asked.

Juleka brushed her long black hair from her face, which had "bad news" written all over it. "Marinette is alive," she sighed.

Adrien felt his chest kindling with hope.

"Then... why don't you look happy about it?" Rose asked her best friend nervously.

Juleka looked into everyone's eyes and answered with a darkened tone, "Because I also learned the Sorcerer King is here."

The group's appalled silence told the spy how well they were taking the news.

"Damn..." Kim growled.

Mylene shuddered and Ivan pulled her into his arms.

Nino pressed his lips together hard. "Good," he said. "I'm looking for something to bury my hatchet in."

Adrien clenched his fists. He had expected his stepfather to strike back sooner or later. A part of him had hoped it would be later.

"What about Ladybug?" he enquired softly.

"Locked up somewhere in the castle dungeons," Juleka said. "Apparently, Hawkmoth's offering the queen a substantial fortune in exchange for Marinette, alive and unharmed."

That made Adrien feel worse. "He knew I'd come for her," he murmured with a tinge of guilt. Breaking Hawkmoth's spell over him had officially made Ladybug the king's most wanted enemy, second to Adrien.

Alya placed a hand on his shoulder. "There's no time to waste now," she spoke aloud to everyone. "We attack tonight."

Max cringed. "It's a trap," he said with a shake of his head.

Adrien's green eyes narrowed and he turned to the trap master. "Of course it is," he stated before glancing over the rest of his friends. "But I've come too far to give up now." He picked up his staff and swung it over his shoulder. "I'm getting Ladybug out of that castle – tonight. And if I have face Hawkmoth to get to her, then so be it." Adrien's face softened and he spoke with more tenderness, "I would never ask any of you to put yourselves in danger for me. So I'll understand if you feel like you want to turn back."

To his surprise, each and every one of his friends stood to attention and placed a hand over their hearts in a salute.

"Not a chance," Alya declared unwaveringly.

Nino smiled at Adrien with loyalty and love. "You are our rightful king, and our friend," he said with pride. "I think I speak for everyone present when I say... that we would gladly follow you into any battle."

The rest of the group confirmed that statement with a grin and a nod.

Adrien suddenly felt a wave of deep affection for this ragtag band of rogues; outsiders who had also suffered from his stepfather's cruelty; commoners who had become more than just friends to the exiled prince... but family too.

 _That's what families do_ , he reminded himself. _They face their problems together_.

"Thank you, all of you," Adrien said with a blush. Then he turned to see Castle Bourgeois in the distance, where his Ladybug was undoubtedly fighting to stay strong for him. _Hold on, my lady – I'm coming._

"Then let's get going," Adrien announced like a king to his troops. "Like Alya, said – there's no time to waste."

* * *

Marinette shivered and rubbed her bare arms together as she paced back and forth in her cell. The entire dungeon had been built inside a massive tunnel of jagged rock, with smaller alcoves barred with iron doors. As the "guest of honour", Marinette had gotten the larger cell on the end of the tunnel. Despite the lit torches outside, the wall of rock surrounding Marinette was utterly cold.

So she moved around her damp, dirt-ridden space as best as she could so she could keep warmer. It wasn't working. The princess's teeth were chattering, and her bare feet were so stiff she could barely feel them. _I'll freeze to death before Chloe receives her payment_ , Marinette thought. She would rather have been struck by those three arrows.

Something clanged at the far end of the tunnel, like a door was opening.

Marinette stopped pacing and drew towards the door. Peering through the bars, she saw a long shadow making its way along the torch-lit hall towards her cell. It didn't take long for it to emerge fully in the light, his shimmering silver mask giving him straight away.

Marinette stood as still as a branch, eyes narrowed, as Hawkmoth strode up to the door to her cell.

With a wave of his hand, the iron bars screeched open. The princess stepped back as the Sorcerer King stepped inside.

"What do you want, Hawkmoth?" she asked sharply, trying to restrain herself from shivering. _I may be his prisoner, but I'm not a damsel in distress._

The king looked her up and down with a grin... until he laid eyes on her burnt-umber hair. "Hmm...I prefer the blue," he hummed as he fiddled with a long strand framing Marinette's face.

In the corner of her eye, Marinette saw that strand darken as though it was being submerged in ink. She inhaled sharply and pulled the ends of her hair up front so she could see. Within seconds, every inch of rusted copper was replaced with luminous midnight blue.

"There," Hawkmoth said with a smile as he stroked her hair again, this time brushing his knuckles along her cheek as he did so. "Just as radiant as before."

Marinette slapped his hand away, the sound of which echoing down the tunnel. She said nothing to the king, but her eyes spoke clearly of the pain the king would receive if he touched her again.

Hawkmoth's smile faltered and he looked down on her coldly. "Once again, you refuse to be grateful for my generous gift," he chided. "I would keep that attitude of yours in check, if I were you. As I've warned you before, you never know if an alliance will prove beneficial to you."

Marinette snorted with disgust. "If this is how you treat your new friends, I'll gladly take Chloe's hospitality over yours," she asserted.

The king apparently found that amusing. "Such fire," he mused. "Such a waste. Perhaps you'll be less incorruptible once I destroy your precious prince."

Marinette felt her insides churn. "I will never give in you," she growled. "And if you so much as lay a _finger_ on Adrien..."

"You'll what?" Hawkmoth asked with sneer. "Do you have some supernatural power that I am unaware of?"

He reached for something glittering at his throat. Marinette looked down to see a purple jewel brooch, and her mouth parted in revelation. Adrien had mentioned once that the Sorcerer King's ability to control people came from a brooch he always kept on his person. _So_ that's _the source of his power_ , Marinette thought, having half a mind to rip it right off the king at that moment.

But he sensed her desire and drew away, chuckling cruelly. Marinette scowled at him. He was toying with her. _Bastard_.

"You can make all the threats you want, my dear," Hawkmoth cooed. "They can't save you now... and they won't save Adrien."

The princess's throat bobbed, but she kept her eyes firm and unwavering. "Whatever is going on between you and Adrien," she said in an almost-pleading tone, "spare him and take my life instead."

The king seemed surprised by her words. "My sweet, stubborn Ladybug," he said, flashing his teeth in a grin. "I never said anything about taking his life."

Marinette blinked at him.

Then Hawkmoth wordlessly reached into his regal tunic and pulled out a small, thin vile of blue... vapour? No – it was liquid in nature, but the iridescent swirls gave it a smoky texture. It was like an aurora in a bottle amongst of field of bright blue.

"I almost want to tell you what's inside this," Hawkmoth said absent-mindedly as he gazed at the substance with intrigue. "It's my last batch, you know – not very easy to acquire and harder still to make. But even the tiniest drop of this stuff can yield the best results."

Marinette stared at the vial, slowly coming to understand what it was and who it was meant for. Her heart pounded with newfound fear.

Hawkmoth swirled the liquid around in the vial before sneering at Marinette. "I assure you, my princess," he explained with dark glee. "This will be a far more satisfying brand of punishment for Adrien... and far less merciful than death."

Before Marinette knew it, the king turned briskly and strode out of her cell.

The princess's face contorted with rage. "No!" she shouted. She could not let him do such a thing to Adrien! She _would_ not!

She tried to rush after Hawkmoth, but the iron door immediately slammed shut and blocked her path. Marinette gripped the bars and shook them hard until her palms were screaming in agony.

All the while, the Sorcerer King's maniacal laugh lingered long after he vanished down the tunnel.

* * *

The potion was ready.

The sickly-blue substance in the cauldron boiled to the appropriate temperature, and wisps of iridescent foam bobbed on the surface.

All that was needed now was something to use it on – something natural that could easily absorb the potion.

Hawkmoth tied the stem of a large, pale red apple onto a long string. Then, angling it carefully over the centre of the brew, he lowered the apple down.

The liquid hissed and bubbled as soon as the fruit touched it, but then it eagerly swallowed it up into its folds.

Suddenly, the entire potion turned black as night. All of the foam and bubbles converged into a whirlpool with the submerged apple at its centre. The cauldron itself began to shake, as though the power of the spell was almost too much to bear.

The king held the string tightly and counted the seconds, watching the effects with awe. Finally, he reached the necessary time limit and lifted the apple from the cauldron.

Black – that's all it was now; a round, dripping, hideous glob of black.

Then, like magic, the droplets seeped into the fruit until it became completely dry. Upon the blackened skin appeared a burning symbol: a grinning skull.

Hawkmoth grinned with wicked triumph.

The skull faded away, and the skin suddenly changed colour: mahogany, wine, garnet, blood, crimson... and finally apple: a perfect, untarnished, bright red.

The Sorcerer King took the fruit in the palm of his hand. It felt warm at his touch... and pulsing with the darkest magic you could ever wish on someone.

"An apple of discord indeed," Hawkmoth chortled darkly.

He glanced out the window of the alchemy room and into the night-covered world beyond.

"Now all I need is a taster."

* * *

 **MB: Yeah, I took inspiration from the Disney film for that last scene, just because I wanted to. Mwahahaha!**

 **I know that the Chloe in this story is very different from the Chloe we would all know from _Miraculous_. I purposefully made her that way because I wanted Marinette to have an archenemy with as much ambition as her but who would stoop to much darker lengths to keep her idea of a "happy ending" alive. And yes, (spoiler alert) there is going to be a confrontation between them further along in the story.**

 **But that's enough chit-chat. We've got a castle raid underway... and the dreaded moment we've been waiting for is near!**


	17. 3:5: Smoke and Mirrors

**PART 3:**

 _ **Chapter 5:**_

 _ **Smoke and Mirrors**_

The night was utterly still and dismal... and boring.

Pitch-black clouds hovered above the castle, but no snow fell. The only warmth came from the flickering fire of the torches, but even that didn't help the guards. Their armour and mail absorbed all the cold, making the men more miserable and restless than ever.

But at least there was nothing else for them to complain about. The town ahead of them was asleep, the lake behind them was flat and undisturbed, and cheery music began playing in the...

Wait a minute...

Music?

The Bourgeois troops all turned at the sound of lute strings playing a shrill cacophony. It seemed to be coming from the far eastern side of the castle.

Snapping to attention, the guards up on the battlements left their positions to investigate. How were any of them supposed to do their duty with that unbearable ruckus in the background?

Little did the soldiers know that ruckus was just a distraction created by a very enthusiastic redheaded bard...

* * *

Adrien smiled as the blue-and-silver forms on the walls swept over to the source of the diversion, leaving the western side of the castle undefended.

"Thank you, Nate," Adrien whispered with deep gratitude.

Beside the thief, Juleka whispered proudly, "That's my boy."

Adrien grinned and pulled his black hood over his head. "Let's move!" he called to the group.

Nine bodies rose out of the bushes and raced down the hill towards the castle wall, cloaks flailing behind them and weapons stashed at their sides.

The frozen ground crunched underneath their feet as they ran, but that was the least of their worries. If the guards returned to their posts before the rogues made it to the wall, or before Adrien finished scaling the damn thing, they were all dead. The clock was ticking.

Adrien let everyone else move up front. Juleka, Mylene and Ivan raced on ahead and reached the wall first. Kim practically dragged Max and Rose with him, and Alya gave herself a magical burst of speed, which Nino felt as he was hauled forward with her.

Finally, they all flattened themselves against the cold wall, careful not to disturb the edge of the lake that left them with barely enough standing room. Not far from them was the secret wooden door, which – as Adrien had pointed out – they needed inside help to open.

Ivan pulled a crossbow out from under his cloak. It had a grappling hook locked in place. "One minute," he stated. That was their time limit.

Nino quickly knotted the end of a rope onto the hook. Once that was done, Ivan aimed the weapon high and fired.

The hook flew off with a loud pop and came to rest on the battlements. The metal dragged along the stone for a little bit – making Adrien wince – before it lodged itself between two parapets.

Ivan tugged on the string hard, and then he turned to Adrien with a nod.

Wasting no time, Adrien grabbed the rope and hoisted himself up as nimbly as a cat in a tree, using his feet as leverage against the wall. All the while, he counted the seconds remaining: _thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three..._

By forty-eight seconds, Adrien reached the top. He pulled himself over the edge with an exhausted sigh and slipped into a crouch, his green eyes searching for movement.

It came in the form of a stray guard who emerged from the door to the left watchtower.

Ripping his staff off his back, Adrien charged forward and swung before the startled guard could cry out or draw his sword. One blow to the stomach, followed by another to the back, and finally a whop on the head for good measure.

The soldier slumped to the floor in a soft heap, and Adrien bowed graciously. "I'm giving you the night off," the thief murmured.

He tiptoed rapidly into the watchtower and down the steps, keeping his keen ears open for any sounds or voices. He heard none and proceeded to unlock the secret door once he reached the bottom. There was a heavy latch on the door, so cold it made Adrien's fingers burn. But he yanked it back with barely much effort.

The door creaked open, and eight colourful heads greeted the thief.

"About time," Nino droned.

"I'd like to see _you_ try," Adrien jested as the others filed past him one by one. "They say that a guy who's afraid of heights can see his true self when hanging from a high ledge."

Nino gave his best friend a vulgar gesture with his finger before stomping past the thief. Adrien followed behind the huntsman smirking.

The way to the courtyard was easy, and had barely any soldiers guarding the bottom.

Unfortunately, the moment they tasted fresh air, Adrien reeled back at the sight of the countless armed Bourgeois guards patrolling the main courtyard. The men glanced warily over the commoners gathering their goods and supplies and struggling to move out as hastily as possible. Apparently, Queen Chloe no longer tolerated peasant wares inside her walls.

Adrien beckoned his friends to hang back as he peeked just barely beyond the exit. From this angle and distance, he could see the entrance to the service stairwell barricaded by a locked door, which no doubt had a key... which was no doubt in the pocket of someone _not_ in the courtyard at the moment.

Swearing under his breath, Adrien crawled back inside and relayed his friends the bad news.

"So now the only way in is through the main entrance," Max groaned. "I told you it was a trap!"

"That's never stopped us before," Alya bit at him sharply before turning to the others. "Stick to the plan: four on the ground, four up top. Split into teams of two."

Adrien's brow crinkled with confusion. "But that's only eight of us," he said.

"I know," Alya affirmed. "We will distract the metal-heads... and as soon as you see an opening, you slip through and make a mad dash for the castle."

The thief's brow now hardened. " _That_ wasn't part of the plan," he argued staunchly.

"I'm going to have to agree with Max and Aly on this one, bro," Nino whispered to him. "Our odds are getting worse by the second, and if anyone needs to get inside that castle and find your princess, it's you."

Adrien bit his lip. Yes, he wanted to save Ladybug. Every second he wasted could be one second too late.

But no, he would not leave other good people behind in the process. He knew Ladybug would never forgive him for that, nor would he forgive himself if anything happened to his friends.

Adrien grasped his best friend's arm in a brotherly grip. "We either win this fight together..." He turned to the rest of his misfit gang. "... or we go down together. End of story."

Alya sagged with surrender, giving him a half-frown, half-smile. "You can be a _real_ stubborn pain in the ass, you know that?"

The thief gave her a feline grin and a tiny shrug. "I'm the prince – it's my job," he joked.

* * *

The Bourgeois herded the townsfolk out of the courtyard like sheep, not caring if they hadn't collected the last of their wares.

Adrien tried to think about the whole thing optimistically. The fewer innocents there were in the battle zone, the better.

Kim, Nino, Rose and Mylene had scurried back up the watchtower to take positions on the battlements. Adrien lingered behind a vacant stand with his staff in hand. Crouched beside him was Ivan, holding a sword.

Within minutes, he saw a slender form with long dark hair hand-signal him from the other side of the courtyard: Juleka and Max were ready and awaiting orders.

All everyone needed now was Alya's signal.

Adrien gave a barely-audible loon call that only small, sensitive ears could pick up.

Just then, something padded out of the shadows and out into the open, torch-lit courtyard. Her reddish fur rippled in the firelight, and her amber eyes glared up at the Bourgeois guards who noticed her.

"Hey, look at this," one of them called, pointing at the vixen. "How did a fox in here?"

His partner grunted. "Who cares? Let's just get it out of here. The queen hates vermin."

The first guard shrugged with a dark grin. "I don't know..." he said. "That's a pretty lovely coat she's got there. I could make a nice scarf out of it to keep me warm for the winter."

Alya chomped threateningly at the men before letting out a guttural keen into the air.

There was a soft whizzing sound... and the first guard fell forward with an arrow in his back.

Apparently, Nino did not find the poor man's comment very amusing.

Adrien emerged from his hiding spot and charged with a valiant yell.

As his staff clanged against the second guard's drawn sword, several more shouts flew out across the courtyard. Citizens screamed and ran for the exit, their goods forgotten.

Adrien dueled his opponent briefly before striking him across the face, knocking the guard out cold. Not far from him, Ivan parried with a soldier and managed to drive the man up against a stand and cut him cleanly through his tunic.

Juleka unlatched a long whip and lashed it out at her incoming attacker, catching him right in the neck before swinging him hard against the stone wall.

Max ducked under a swinging sword and took out one of the soldier's knees, forcing the man to kneel. Then Max banged him hard on the head with a hammer before proceeding to tackle another soldier to the ground.

Up above, Kim and Nino unleashed their arrows wherever they could go, occasionally saving one or more of their friends from being cut down from behind.

Alya sank her canine teeth into every arm, leg, hand and neck she could find, allowing her to either finish them off herself, or just leave them wide open for one of the other bandits to strike.

But as Adrien gleamed over the battlements, he realized that Rose and Mylene were nowhere to be seen. Where were they? Had they been caught? Or worse...?

An angry shout from behind Adrien forced him to spin around. But he failed to stop the guard's charge and he felt armour and mail colliding with his front. Adrien grunted as he fell flat on his back. He gasped as the soldier raised his sword vertically above him.

Adrien barely crammed his middle out of the way before the blade down and struck the ground. Then the thief sent a hard kick to the soldier's gut, giving him some time to leap to his feet and crouch into a fighting stance.

The Bourgeois guard glared murderously at the boy... until something jammed into his throat and he fell to the side with a choking gargle.

Adrien snapped to his right and frowned up at the dark-skinned huntsman who lowered his bow. "I had this!" the thief called.

"Sure you did!" Nino called back. "But I was quicker!"

Adrien almost laughed... until he saw two soldiers racing towards the huntsman with lowered pikes. "Nino, behind you!" Adrien shouted.

The huntsman reacted just in time and slid right between the pikes, driving a hatchet into each of the soldiers' chests.

Adrien returned his attention back to the courtyard, where he slammed his staff against the back of a guard holding Juleka at bay. She finished him off with a kick to the face.

Meanwhile, Kim was busy fighting off archers left and right on the battlements. Glancing down below him, he noticed a cart loaded with bags of flour. Smirking, Kim waved to his opponents and slipped over the edge. The stunned guards looked down after him... only to see the strongman safe and sound on the padded cart, an arrow nocked and pointed right at them.

One of the guards screamed as he took the shot and fell onto the hard stones below.

The other three archers prepared to fire down at him... but the one on the right fell to Nino's arrow, and the one on the left got clobbered in the head by a flying rock sent by Ivan.

The man in the middle made the mistake of trying to jump onto the same cart that Kim was on. But the strongman was ready and waiting, and merely gave the guard a hard bob on his helmet to knock him senseless.

Kim scrambled off the cart and shouted to two of his partners. "Max! Jules! Coming at you!"

The diminutive, dark-skinned boy and the tall, long-haired spy exchanged a knowing glance and nodded. Juleka tossed one end of her whip to Max, and together they pulled it around a trio of guards charging at them. The whip strung all three men together in a very uncomfortable group hug, and they tried to squirm away as Juleka and Max came back around and pulled the whip tight.

"Now!" Max called to Kim.

The strongman saluted them with thanks and heaved the heavy cart forward with all his might. It rolled towards the intertwined guards before scooping them up and racing away with them towards the gate to the bailey. The cart crashed, and the force of it shook the stones beneath everyone's feet.

With those men taken care of, the courtyard was clear. For now.

"Get to the entrance!" Adrien called out, pointing forward with his staff.

As six people regrouped with him and they ran through the open bailey gate, Adrien glanced back up at the battlements with unease. "Where are Rose and Mylene?" he enquired out loud.

"They're not with you?" Ivan voiced as he trotted up to him, his face unmistakably fearful.

Alya, still in her fox form, let out a worried whine.

A sudden banging sound from the castle entrance silenced the entire group, and they all skidded to a halt in the centre of the bailey.

The great armoured doors opened... and about a dozen armed Bourgeois knights poured out.

Adrien swore.

Then his sensitive ears picked up clanking footsteps _behind_ the group.

Adrien swore again.

A matching dozen guards marched up along the miniature gate, blocking the only other way out with their swords held high.

Adrien and his friends stood back to back, weapons raised and their faces refusing to show any sign of surrender. All the while, the massive swarm of Bourgeois encircled the group like wolves to a flock of ptarmigans.

Or rather... it was a flock of ptarmigans _and_ a really-pissed-off vixen, who bared her fangs at the Bourgeois, her fur standing on end.

Adrien gritted his teeth in denial. _It can't end this way_ , he thought with a pang of regret as he glanced over his shoulders at his brave companions. He didn't want to believe that he had brought his last remaining friends all this way for nothing. At that moment, he thought about Ladybug. Was she even here, or had this whole thing been a trap that Adrien had unwittingly fallen for?

The head of the Bourgeois unit sneered at the band of rogues. "So _this_ is Princess Marinette's heroic rescue party," he scoffed. "Our queen truly expected more."

Adrien only glared at him, swinging his staff downward to defend his friends. _We go down together_ , he remembered saying before. And he meant it.

The Bourgeois lowered their swords in a thrust position, preparing to skewer the trapped bandits alive...

 _CRASH! PUFF! HISS!_

Something glass-like exploded above the heads of three of the soldiers, emitting a cloud of pink and blue mist. The soldiers didn't cough or react to the explosion. They just stared dazedly out into space before sinking to the ground. Adrien could hear one of them snoring.

"What...?" the Bourgeois commander gasped, but then another cloud of the strange dust appeared over him, and he collapsed before he could finish.

More glass bobbles rained down on the battalion, ensnaring them all in the mystical bluish haze and creating a ring of mist around Adrien and his friends.

It wasn't until every single one of the Bourgeois was dozing off on the ground peacefully before the mist cleared away. Now it looked like they all just fell asleep for no reason.

Nino's mouth fell open. "What the what?" he croaked.

At that moment, two female voices cheered victoriously from the top of the bailey gate.

The thief looked up and beamed with pride. "Rose!" he called, all of that fear and guilt inside of him washing away instantaneously.

"Mylene!" Ivan shouted with a relieved smile.

"About time you two showed up!" Kim called. "You missed the party!"

"Your welcome!" Rose complained snootily. "Honestly, I never get any praise from you guys!"

Juleka giggled. "You've got mine!" she offered.

"All right, all right," Adrien said with a roll of his eyes. "You two get down here! This raid is just getting started... and we've still got a queen to capture and a princess to rescue!"

* * *

Queen Chloe picked at her nails as she lounged in her gleaming golden throne, frowning from the lack of fine entertainment. The best she had now was a no-nonsense court jester with an ugly, tripod hat and jingling bells that wouldn't stop jingling.

Suddenly, a loud _BANG_ caused the juggler to cry out and drop his batons.

 _Well, at least he shut up_ , Chloe sighed as she straightened up in her seat and put on her best smile.

The two castle enforcers standing guard at the entrance were sent flying into the chamber. They rolled along the floor before coming to rest in awkward positions. _Pathetic_ , the queen mused darkly. _I'll need to ask Hawkmoth for better guards._

Finally, the queen's expected guest strolled casually through the open doorway, green eyes locked on her. His entourage of self-righteous outlaws flanked him from behind. Together, they stalked up towards Chloe like executioners towards a chopping block.

Chloe merely smiled graciously at them... well, mostly their leader. The two men at her side drew their swords, but she signaled them to stand down. _All in good time._

"Prince Adrien!" she called out. "You really should have taken my advice more seriously. Thanks to you, I was forced to take drastic measures to ensure the fate of my kingdom."

The rogue prince's face was expressionless, but those alluring eyes of his reminded Chloe of a cat whose favourite toy had been stolen.

"You have no more "advice" to give me, _Your Majesty_ ," Adrien said as he drew to a halt before the dais. "But I am more than willing to offer you some of my own: your reign has unfortunately come to an abrupt end. Hand over Marinette, and we'll let you walk away with your dignity."

Queen Chloe laughed; her head bent back, her high-pitched cackle causing the walls themselves to cringe. "You have some serious backbone, silly prince, if you think you can simply waltz right into a queen's castle and threaten her," she stated in a darkening tone. "The only handing over I will be doing... is handing over _your_ head to Hawkmoth on a silver platter!"

With a defiant frown, Chloe snapped her fingers.

Like goblins out of their hovels, a string of royal archers appeared on the surrounding balcony above and aimed their steel-tipped arrows right at the nine bandits below.

Several of the rogues glanced up worriedly, making Chloe giggle wickedly. _Are they really that naive?_

"Typical peasant scum!" she voiced to Prince Adrien. "My reign shall be the start of a glorious new age for this kingdom; an age where only the strong will rise, and the weak will either bow in submission...or perish." The queen's mouth curled into a sneer. "It will begin with you, Adrien, son of Gabriel, and then your precious _Ladybug_ will follow... after I let her weep in despair over your handsome body, of course."

"Witch!" growled one of the female outlaws – the redhead shape-shifter, if Hawkmoth was to be believed.

"I could easily say the same about _you_ ," Chloe snapped at her. "Look at you all – a bunch of misfits whose sole purpose in life is to cause trouble and misfortune for everyone you come into contact with!" She turned back to Adrien and stood from her throne. "Tell me, _Adrikins_..." she cooed with fake remorse, "do you believe Marinette would have been better off if you hadn't appeared in her life?" She narrowed her eyes at him and lifted her chin. "If you hadn't decided to worm your way into her heart and swaddle her with fantasies of "true love", then perhaps Marinette would still be safe, content... married, even."

The prince's eyes softened for half a second before they crystallized into hard green diamonds. "But she would also be miserable and forced to live in a gilded cage for the rest of her life," he added with a bite in his tone. "And knowing her, I'm pretty _paw_ -sitive her marriage to Theo wouldn't have lasted very long, even if she never knew me at all."

 _Did he just...?_ Chloe shook her head with a grunt. "What do _you_ know?!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the chamber once more. "You're just an exile – a lost, little mama's boy who has to constantly rely on his _friends_ rather than fight his own battles. Bah!" Chloe sat back down and tapped her fingernails on the armrests. "You would have made a very weak king, just like your father when Hawkmoth tore him to pieces."

Adrien's eyes flashed with rage and he raised his staff.

"Ah-ah-ah!" Chloe sang slowly, twitching her finger before pointing to the armed archers above. "Cool your paws, Kittycat. This is _my_ domain. I have an entire army at my disposal, and you have nothing!"

Her final word rang out in the throne room. _Nothing... nothing... nothing..._

A deadly silence hung between the two royals.

Then, to Chloe's surprise, Adrien grinned. It wasn't the cocky, arrogant, playful type of grin... but one that spoke of pure, humble, honest faith.

 _Is he not taking this seriously?_ The queen thought with a nervous frown. _He knows I could strike him and his cohorts down with a flick of my finger! He should be begging for my forgiveness, begging for mercy! Why is he looking at me like that?!_

Finally, Chloe dared to ask, "What could you _possibly_ be smiling about?"

The prince lifted his own chin to her, as though mocking her gesture. "Despite your heavy security and well-thought-out dramatic ambush – which I complement you for – you seem to still have a leak in your sieve, my queen," Adrien replied with such confidence. "You may have an army..." He glanced to the side of the chamber. "... but _we_ have a bard."

Chloe raised an incredulous eyebrow and followed the charming exile's gaze.

What she saw made her bones turn to water.

Striding into the chamber from the side entrance, clad in golden armour and bearing the hardest brown eyes Chloe had ever seen him wear, was Prince Theo.

A leather-clad commoner with red head sweeping across his face walked alongside the dark-haired prince, a weird-looking lute slung over his shoulders.

Before Chloe could so much as take a breath, a squad of armed soldiers – all of them bearing the crest of Bourgeois proudly on their new golden chest-plates – filed onto the balcony above and pointed their swords threateningly at the archers. Chloe's men quivered uneasily and lowered their bows without a second thought.

Prince Adrien's band of thugs let out a sigh of relief.

"No!" Chloe breathed harshly, glancing at her brother with confusion and outrage and hurt. _This cannot be!_ "Theo, what is this?! Our enemies are right _there_! Guards, seize them!"

However, none of the guards or archers above heeded her command. What's worse, the two soldiers standing over Chloe didn't either. Instead they grabbed the queen's arms and lifted her rather unceremoniously off the throne.

"What are you doing?!" Chloe cried as she tried to wrench herself free. "Guards, help me! GUARDS!"

"Don't bother, Chloe," Theo called coldly as he walked over to her. "These men have pledged their loyalty to _me_... as their rightful king."

Chloe's mouth hung ajar, her mind empty and shattered. " _King?!_ " she shrieked. "Traitor! My own brother!"

Theo shook his head, and this time there was sadness in his eyes. "No, my sister," he almost whispered. " _You_ are the traitor. You have betrayed our people's trust, murdered our beloved father, and dishonoured our family name... all because of your selfishness. I will not stand idly by any longer and watch you invoke your wrath upon anyone else." He eyed one of the men holding his sister prisoner. "Where is the key to Princess Marinette's cell?" he demanded.

"With me, sire," the guard responded, reaching into his tunic and offering Theo the iron key. "Her Majesty... er, forgive me, Her _Highness_ permitted me to hang onto it."

There were no words for this atrocity, but Chloe shouted them anyway. "How dare you?! I am the queen; the rightful heir to the throne! Bourgeois will NEVER accept Theo, and you will all hang for this!"

"She's a feisty one, I'll give her that," said the tallest and strongest of Prince Adrien's companions; the one with the stupid blond-tipped hair.

"That's where you are wrong again, Chloe," Theo stated to his sister as he walked over to Adrien with the key. "I will ensure Bourgeois' stability and prosperity through benevolent means, like our father did before me. There will be no empire, no tyranny, and no injustice. Just peace."

Chloe watched with heaving breaths as her treacherous brother handed the key to Adrien.

"Prepare yourself," Theo warned him gently. "The Sorcerer King may still be here, and he will surely be waiting for you."

Adrien nodded firmly. "From one prince to another," he said, "you have my thanks. I will never forget."

Theo smiled. "Nor will I. And tell Marinette... Tell her I am sorry. For everything. For..." He swallowed pitifully and sighed. "Yes. That and... I wish you both all the best."

Chloe rolled her eyes in disgust. "Oh, you have _got_ to be kidding me!" she snarled.

"Quiet, Blondie," the shape-shifter said. Her eyes starting to glow devilishly bright, making Chloe want to crawl all the way up to the ceiling.

She almost wanted to cry. _Why is this happening to me?_

"HAWKMOTH!" she screamed furiously to the ceiling. "Hawkmoth, where are you?! You can't just leave me here! We had a deal!"

But no one answered her. No one came to save her, because no one cared. Hawkmoth, Theo, her soldiers – they were all traitors, deceivers, tricksters.

And she had played the part of the fool.

* * *

The dungeon was not what Adrien expected.

Most castles, like the one in his home kingdom of Agreste, had dungeons that matched up with their entire architectural design. Adrien had assumed, knowing how Bourgeois royalty practically lived in a plush doll house, that _their_ dungeons would be just as welcoming.

He was wrong on so many levels.

It was like descending down into the intestinal track of a monstrous mountain beast. The entire prison was a long dark tunnel with walls of solid rock, and it had torches lined up all along it like glowing teeth. A rush of freezing air howled through the enclosed space, giving the beast a voice to growl with.

The stench of lake water and mildew made Adrien crinkle his nose, and he could already feel his fingers going numb from the cold. Ladybug was down _here_? The thief prayed that she wouldn't already be a frozen icicle by the time he found her.

Adrien held up a large lantern he had procured from upstairs, and used it to light his way down the tunnel. A ring of orange ran up along the ceiling like a fiery halo. He was an angelic warrior braving the coldest pit of hell, like one of the old heroes of legend. _Nino would_ love _to hear that_ , Adrien thought with a smirk.

Every cell he peaked into was either empty or filled with one or two sleeping prisoners, all of whom were filthy men cocooning themselves in tattered blankets. Adrien pitied them, but he knew King Andre probably had a good reason for locking them down here. If they had been Chloe's prisoners, that would have been a different story.

Adrien forced himself to pick up the pace, glimpsing over the carved alcoves as he went by. Maybe if he tried calling out to Ladybug...

He felt something brush at his back, making his spine stand on end.

Adrien spun and held his lantern out in front of him.

Nothing was there.

But Adrien couldn't shake the feeling he was being watched, and he had a pretty decent idea as to by _whom_. "Hawkmoth," he called into the tunnel, his enhanced vocals startling even himself. "Come out."

No reply.

Adrien sighed and straightened. _I'm imagining things_. He was getting jittery because this place reminded him of...

"Adrien?"

That voice. _Her_ voice!

The thief's heart leapt and he turned to the source of the sound: the far end of the tunnel.

"Ladybug!" Adrien called as he burst into a sprint, the cold and the dark and the strange something that startled him already long forgotten.

His lady was here. She was here... and she was alive!

He didn't realize how far he ran – or how deep underground he was, for that matter – but the next thing Adrien knew, a larger cell sat several feet ahead of him.

Ladybug stood inside it, her bluebells wide at the sight of him.

Despite the thin, totally-unappealing, white chemise she wore, she looked like a glistening pearl in an oyster, her pale skin appearing to glow in the moonlight shining through her cell. Her hair – the same midnight-blue Adrien remembered – hung off her shoulders in oily waves.

The thief exhaled jaggedly as though he couldn't breathe, but his face broke into a joyous grin. "My lady," he said as he dug ferociously into his pocket for the iron key. "Hang on! I'll get you out of there!"

Holding the lantern up in one hand and using the key in the other, Adrien made quick use of the lock. He flung the barred door wide open, and then rushed forward to sweep his princess into his arms.

"Wait!" Ladybug cried.

Her warning came too late.

 _GONG!_

"Gah!" Adrien hissed as he slammed into something hard and flat, causing him to drop his lantern. Rubbing his sore nose, Adrien blinked and stared at Ladybug bewilderedly. She appeared to be standing right in front of him, except...

Except she wasn't here.

The invisible wall was a large pane of glass, framed by black wood that Adrien could barely see unless he ran his fingers along it.

Adrien's veins stopped circulating. "No..." he sighed.

It was a mirror. Hawkmoth's mirror.

And the cell Ladybug was standing in... was _not_ this cell.

Adrien saw shiny, black-stone tiles on the floor behind her as well as rougher ones on the walls surrounding her. Large, black-barred windows appeared in a symmetrical pattern, filling the entire chamber with moonlight. The ceiling came together like a cylindrical cone.

Adrien knew that prison. He had once lived and played and studied within walls of shimmering black tile; gazed up so many times at the pointed-cap of his tower bedroom.

Adrien felt his throat tighten and he banged his fist on the mirror's panel. "No!" he cried, his eyes filling with tears. "You can't be _there_... you can't be..."

Ladybug's own eyes glistened and she shook her head remorsefully. "I'm sorry," she said. "Hawkmoth teleported both of us away while you were fighting the Bourgeois."

Taking slow, agonizing breaths, Adrien blinked and uttered pathetically, "But... I'm rescuing you. I even had a whole speech prepared."

Ladybug smiled and let out a soft laugh, but that only made the tears come faster. "Oh, Adrien..." she sighed, placing her pale hand upon the mirror.

Adrien pulled his glove off and touched his hand over hers. It felt strangely warm, as though he could feel her pulsing skin through the glass. So close... yet unreachable. It was almost enough to break his heart... again. Could a heart break more than once?

"To tell you the truth," the thief said softly, forcing himself to smile at her, "just seeing you alive right now is... a _mirror_ -acle." He snorted at his own joke. "Get it? _Mirror_?"

Ladybug snorted back, and she managed to cock an eyebrow at him. "Really, Kitty?" she asked in an annoyed tone. "You pick _now_ of all times to crack a joke?"

Adrien hung his head down, half-smiling, half-whimpering. Then he wiped his eyes on his sleeve before regaining his composure and looking back into Ladybug's eyes. "He can't keep us apart forever, Ladybug" he said, his determination returning. "As long as we keep fighting back, he'll never win."

His princess tried to retain her smile, but he could tell she was finding it extremely difficult. "I'm not so sure anymore," she said before she could stop herself.

Adrien blinked at her.

Ladybug sniffled and said with a mirthless chuckle, "I just can't help but think that... that we're cursed or something." She gazed into her beloved's eyes mournfully. "Adrien... Is this how it's going to be for the rest of our lives? We take turns finding each other... only to be pulled apart again and again?" She lowered her head, and tears streamed down her cheeks like rivers of starlight.

Adrien watched her in silence, that heavy lump in his chest starting to grow bigger.

Then he spoke her name like it was the evening's soft lullaby: "Marinette."

She snapped her head up, no doubt surprised that he had called her by her true name for the first time in... well, ever.

Adrien smiled once again, this one devoted and unwavering. "We _will_ be together," he stated with such soft fierceness. "And when we are, we'll _stay_ together. Always. And nothing will ever tear me from you again. I know it. I believe it."

The pain and fear in Ladybug's eyes ebbed away, and her smile returned. "Then I believe _you_ ," she said with that sweet stubbornness he remembered from when they first met.

As one, the two lovers closed their eyes and pressed their foreheads against the glass surface, almost as though they were touching foreheads in real life.

Adrien swore he felt something through the mirror again – a distant, warm feeling that seemed to burn stronger every time he and Ladybug tried to reach one another; a bond that could span across entire kingdoms.

That's how the thief knew everything was going to be all right.

When both of them finally pulled away, Adrien gave his Ladybug a firm nod and whispered, "Have faith, my lady."

She nodded back and opened her mouth as though to say something...

...and then, in a massive swirl of dark ink, she was gone.

Adrien gasped, but all he could see was his own startled reflection in the pitch-black surface.

The ink-like stuff rippled and twisted and warped... and then a dark, rumbling laugh sounded from the mirror.

Adrien's entire being tensed and he ripped his hand away. Meanwhile, the last person he wanted to see appeared on the glass surface and gave him a mocking grin.

"You'll have to forgive me," Hawkmoth chortled as he dabbed at the corners of his eyes with his gloved hand. "It was _such_ a touching moment, truly, but I _had_ to cut it short before either of you got tongue marks all over my mirror."

Adrien's green eyes narrowed and his lips hardened into a thin line. "Let her go, Hawkmoth," he demanded in a dangerously-low tone. "This is between you and me. Stop hurting the people I care about and face me yourself!"

Hawkmoth regained his cold demeanour and his ice-blue eyes drove hard into his stepson. "You know something?" he asked. "You're absolutely right. I feel that we have reached an impasse – you want your princess, and I want you. It's high-time we settle our feud once and for all like proper royal gentlemen. Have you ever heard of a parley?"

"Refresh my memory," Adrien said flatly.

"Gladly," the Sorcerer King obliged. "We cease and desist with our petty squabbling, meet on neutral ground, and have a little talk. No weapons, no magic, no help – just you and me. Do this, and I give you my word as king that your little love bug won't come to any harm." Hawkmoth inched one shoulder up a bit. "Well, at least until the parley is over."

Adrien breathed hard through his nose. So _this_ is what his stepfather wanted all along – some quality alone time with his stepson, out in the open with none of his friends to assist or protect him. Adrien wasn't going to lie, especially to himself. This wasn't a parley, it was a death sentence.

Better him than the woman he loved.

"Where will I find you?" Adrien asked the wizard.

Hawkmoth gave him a smug, silvery smile. "There is this little hill with an abandoned stable on the far side of the Twin Mountains," he explained. "You'll know it when you see it. It's where all the trouble started long ago." His tone darkened, implying that he meant business. "Meet me there in two days' time. If you don't... I'll leave your princess's lifeless heart for you in a pretty little box."

And just like that, the king vanished.

And just like that, the mirror shattered into a million sparkling pieces.

Adrien leapt back from the crash, his face pallid.

But his conscience was clear.

He knew he should be afraid, but, strangely enough, he wasn't. He knew what he had to do. It wasn't the choice he wanted, but it was the only one he could make. There was simply no other way around this; no other outcome where Ladybug would remain out of harm's way.

But Adrien was sure about one thing: Hawkmoth's "word" could never be trusted. Adrien had learned that the hard way many times over.

So now, there were two things he needed to do before he would ride out for Agreste:

First, he needed paper and ink.

Second, he needed to tell his friends what happened... and convince them to stay away.


	18. 3:6: How Do You Like Them Apples?

**PART 3:**

 _ **Chapter 6:**_

 _ **How Do You Like Them Apples?**_

Nino had to admit Castle Bourgeois had its perks.

For one thing, it had a massive, round cheery-wood table in the council chamber – a place where the nobles could gather and address matters of state.

Well, the Seven Bandits weren't nobles, but they sure were acting like them: a bunch of lazy people doing absolutely nothing.

Kim was lounged in one of the chairs with his feet up on the table, looking like he wanted to hit something. Nathaniel stood at his side, and beside _him_ was Juleka, who fiddled with the violet strands of her hair. Rose sat in another chair, tapping her fingers along the wood nervously. Somewhere off to the side, Max was leaning against one of the stone pillars holding up the ceiling. Alya sat up on the table, dangling her feet off the ground while watching a stone-faced Nino pace back and forth across the chamber.

Prince Theo stood at the head of the table, clad in the armour he wore the night before and looking more miserable than anyone else in the room. Nino couldn't blame the guy. Theo _had_ just usurped his own demented sister and was now trying to pick up the pieces of a kingdom he barely knew how to run. _At least he's trying_ , the huntsman thought. _If anything, he won't be any worse than Chloe._

Ivan and Mylene were unaccounted for, and for good reason. They were currently helping with the interrogation of Chloe's soldiers, half of which were Akuma Guards given to the queen from Hawkmoth for "extra protection". _I lot of good it did her_ , Nino thought with a smirk. Having once been an Akuma himself, the huntsman almost pitied those men. Ivan may not be "Stoneheart" anymore, but he could be quite temperamental. Thankfully, Mylene was with him for moral support.

Now, the only other person missing from this makeshift council was Adrien.

When he had emerged from the castle dungeons last night, Nino immediately knew what happened. It was written plain all over his best friend's face: Hawkmoth had taken Marinette.

No one had seen or heard from Adrien all morning, but they all knew what was coming. They said nothing to each other, but their shared glances said enough: _No way are we letting him go. Not without us._

The sound of determined footsteps emerged from the corner of the chamber.

Everyone immediately sprang to their feet like troopers ready to march.

Adrien strode casually into the room, his cheeks and nose red from cold as though he had just come from outside. The thief let out a small sneeze and roughly brushed himself off. As he did so, a few white bits of fluff hovered down to the floor.

Feathers? That's right – Adrien was allergic to feathers. But where had they come from?

That's when Nino noticed the new, brown riding leathers underneath the thief's usual cloak, and the huntsman's question vanished from all thought.

"You're going after her," Nino spoke reluctantly.

Adrien didn't look the slightest bit guilty as he walked up to the table and pulled out his staff. "Please don't try to talk me out of it," he said. "The castle is secure, and I need to ride out now if I want to make it in time."

Everyone watched Adrien as he gently placed his staff on the table, like a preacher offering tribute to his god. Then the thief reached into all of the places he stashed his hidden knives and set them down as well.

Prince Theo looked at him confusedly. "You can't possibly face that wizard on your own," he said. "I'll send some my best men with you."

Juleka nodded in agreement. "And take at least _one_ of those knives," she pleaded with hard copper eyes. "I can show you how to hide it completely under your vest."

"No," Adrien stated softly. "I gave Hawkmoth my word I would come alone and unarmed. It's a parley – there are rules to follow."

"That's stupid!" Kim bellowed, slamming his hand onto the table. "When did Mothball ever play by the rules? He just wants the rest of us out of the picture so he can finish you off himself!"

"Kim's right, Adrien," Max said. "The odds of you surviving are about one in a –"

"Hawkmoth will know if I try anything funny," Adrien interjected, trying not to raise his voice. He straightened up from the table, staring down at his arsenal. "If I don't do as he says, Ladybug will die. I can't take that risk."

Alya grasped his shoulder, and Nino could see her resolve failing her. "You're too noble for your own good," she murmured.

Adrien tenderly removed her hand. "No, I'm not," he insisted before addressing the entire group with a heartfelt voice. "Every one of you has sacrificed so much to help me, and I am forever grateful for that. But this is _my_ fight. All of this happened because of Hawkmoth's efforts to hunt _me_ down. This has to end now. I will not allow anyone else to get hurt because of me."

"Except _you_ ," Alya added, her throat bobbing.

Nino watched as Adrien stepped away from the table. "I appreciate your concern," he said, his eyes downcast. "But there's nothing you can say to change my mind."

Adrien then circled around the table and made his way to the open doors of the chamber.

"Then we won't say anything," Alya stated from behind Adrien.

As one, Kim, Max, Nathaniel, Rose and Juleka huddled into a line, blocking the thief's path.

Nino walked over to Adrien. "We're not letting you go, bro," he declared.

Adrien glanced back at him. Nino had expected him to be mad, but instead, the thief just smiled and shook his head. "I'm not asking," he said. "Please... I need you all to trust me on this. I know what I'm doing."

"Of course we trust you," Rose stated, her high-pitched voice straining.

"It's _him_ we don't trust," Nathaniel said. "And you shouldn't either."

"I don't," Adrien admitted sadly. "But what choice do I have? I have to get her back... whatever it takes."

Nino clenched his jaw lowered his head in shame. "I made you a promise," he said. "We all did."

Alya nodded, her eyes tearing up slowly.

Adrien's eyes softened, but his smile never faltered. "And you have fulfilled it, more than I could ever ask for." He glanced around the entire room as he spoke his next words, "So thank you. I love each and every one of you very much, and I know..." He paused and swallowed before nodded with determination. "I know you'll be all right."

Rose started crying silently. Kim hung his head down, and Max bit his trembling lip. Nathaniel pulled Juleka close to him, his bright mop of red hair appearing to go very limp.

Nino felt his chest caving in as Adrien made eye-contact with him one last time. Those twin fields of green whispered without words to the huntsman, _Look after them_.

The huntsman nodded. _I will_.

Then, he and every single person Adrien ever knew and loved watched as their bravest companion – their one true king – turned away and sprinted out of the chamber. His black cloak slipping beyond the doorframe was the last Nino saw of his best friend.

Everyone remained still and silent for a moment, save for the tiny gasps of weeping from Rose. Nino could feel his own tears threatening to leave him.

He almost didn't notice Theo coming up to stand beside him. "I know I'm not officially the king yet," he said softly, staring at the empty threshold with respect. "But _that_ was a man I would gladly give up my crown for."

Nino found himself smiling for some strange reason. "Yeah," he agreed. "He has that effect on people. Just like his mother."

"Even so," Theo continued, his eyebrow rising, "I highly doubt you're going to listen to him anyway."

Now Nino was definitely smiling. "Nope," he said. "Not a chance." He then turned to his girlfriend. "Alya, what's the closest distance you can get behind Adrien without being detected by Hawkmoth's magic?"

* * *

Adrien rode hard out of the Bourgeois capital. Not once did he look back at the shrinking city. Nothing was going to distract him from his mission. Nothing was going to slow him down.

The cream-coloured stallion Adrien rode only stopped for a quick rest and some food and water every few hours. Then the two of them were be back on the King's Road once again.

Occasionally, they passed by travellers in wagons or mercenaries looking for a pick-up. Adrien would glance over them just barely before moving on. Surprisingly, there weren't any Akuma squads in his path – at least, none that the naked eye could see. But Adrien's cat sense told him they were there, watching him from the sidelines. Hawkmoth, no doubt, had given them orders to let the rogue prince pass.

Adrien had a clean shot for Agreste... and it scared him.

What would find when he got there? Was there even anything _left_ to find? Most of the citizens of Agreste had fallen into poverty under Hawkmoth's rule, mostly because entire homes and villages had been raised to rubble during the early years of rebellion. There were still some uprisings going on now and then, but they never lasted more than a week.

 _Everyone is counting on me to make things right_ , Adrien thought as he looked over the huge, pale prairies that marked the borders of his mother's kingdom. _If I should fall, will the dream of freedom be snuffed out with me, or will my sacrifice fan the flames?_ Whatever the case, Adrien hoped with all his heart that he wouldn't be the last person to stand against Hawkmoth.

When night fell, Adrien and his horse asked for shelter at a local barn. The farmer and his wife were more than generous, and they even offered him bread and fresh warm milk.

The built farmer had asked him at one point, "What drives you on this little venture of yours, my lad?"

Adrien had smiled and responded gently, "True love."

He couldn't tell the kind couple his name, or where he was going, or why he was going there. He had changed enough people's lives already. The last thing he wanted was another Nathalie.

Adrien slept on a soft bale of hay with his horse beside him. But despite the warmth and security, the boy was restless. All could think about was his Ladybug, trapped and alone in Hawkmoth's tower. The king would undoubtedly keep his word and keep the princess safe until the meeting, but that didn't mean he would be gracious about it.

Adrien had no doubt Ladybug could take care of herself. She was probably giving her guards a whole load of grief right now with her stubborn chatter. It made Adrien smile. "Hang in there," he whispered into the darkness.

His dreams were of spring and soft wind and laughter. His lady was there, racing through the forest towards him. He lifted her into his arms, and that warm, magical bond between them flashed through him as soon as they touched.

When Adrien awoke the next morning in the chilled dank barn, that bond remained there – locked safely away inside him where no evil could ever reach it, along with the loving vow he had made: _We_ will _be together._

The thief wasted no time in setting out back on the road to the Twin Mountains.

By mid-day, Adrien could see them in the distance. Monstrous and proud, they sat like two enormous mounds of earth, trees and rock in the middle of the Agrestian countryside.

In between the mountains, standing like a glistening jumble of metal, stone and black marble, was Castle Agreste.

 _My home_ , Adrien thought sadly. A whole year away seemed like a lifetime. His mother was probably locked away in there somewhere, still trapped in her eternal slumber. An overwhelming sadness enveloped Adrien. _Forgive me, Mother._

Something rumbled in the distance, and the thief looked up to see dark clouds gathering in the sky. A storm was coming with a vengeance.

"Hawkmoth," Adrien whispered with a narrowed gaze.

He kicked his stallion into gear and they sped off along the snow-ridden fields, making their way around the Twin Mountains to the place Hawkmoth had told Adrien to go.

The sky continued to roil and churn angrily, but not a single snowflake appeared. Whatever those clouds were doing, it wasn't natural. The landscape became darker, greyer, and more ominous. The second day was almost over, which meant Adrien's window of time was shrinking.

Riding hard once again, Adrien reached into his pocket and grasped Ladybug's lucky charm tightly. _I will make it. I_ have _to. I've come too far to fail now._

Fate, it seemed, was on his side.

Some hours into the journey, Adrien spotted a single wooden structure standing out on a small white hill overlooking the fields.

The thief sighed with relief. The stables!

He urged his horse to slow to a trot as they approached the decaying landsite. Adrien tugged on the reins and the stallion came to a full stop just a few feet away. The boy clambered out of his saddle stiffly and patted the beast in thanks before hiking up to the stables.

The inside was worse than the outside. Dull, wooden beams leaned in different angles. The roof threatened to cave in at any time. The stalls were empty, and a few mounds of hay remained on the ground, untouched for probably many decades.

Adrien looked around some more as he walked inside, and he couldn't shake the feeling he had been here before. The smells of hay and rotting wood and horses triggered a distant memory buried in his mind. It was foggy, but he could recall certain things: seeing horses waiting in the stalls, watching his mother put on her riding gloves while he waited eagerly up in his saddle... and then...

Adrien gasped as the memory cleared:

 _He had been ten years old. His father had died less than a year ago, and his mother still hadn't recovered from his loss. But horseback riding always lifted her spirits, so Adrien had requested that they go for a ride one sunny afternoon._

 _But while Adrien was waiting for his mother to saddle up, his horse suddenly flew into a frightened frenzy and charged out of the stables. Adrien remembered feeling nothing but panic; pure, bloody panic. When he couldn't get the horse to obey his commands, Adrien had screamed for help out into the open fields._

 _Then, just as he was almost thrown off the beast, a strong hand grabbed onto him from behind and pulled him to the safety of his own horse. After the initial shock had worn off, Adrien looked up into the face of his rescuer with innocent joy..._

 _...only to be surprised to see a strange man wearing a funny silver mask._

Adrien's stomach clenched as he realized why Hawkmoth had asked him to come this particular stable. _This is where it all started_ , he affirmed, _and this is where it's going to end._

Something moved in the corner of Adrien's eye, and he turned.

Hawkmoth stood in the threshold, clad in an indigo trench coat and a black-furred cape. His hands were stacked on top of the purple jewel of his cane, and his silver face bore no expression.

Adrien kept his own features blank as he stared into his stepfather's unblinking eyes. "Hello, Reginald," he said coolly.

The corner of Hawkmoth's mouth rose a bit, and then fell. "I do not answer to that name anymore," he spoke sombrely. Then he looked over his stepson like a painter with a canvas. "You came unarmed?"

Adrien lifted up his hands. "And alone," he added. "Now where is she?"

"Out of harm's way."

"That's not good enough for me."

"What does it matter?" the Sorcerer King asked with a queer eyebrow. "We both know how this story ends, Adrien. There's no point in pretending otherwise. So why do you still cling to a dream that will never be?"

A tiny smirk appeared on Adrien's lips, and he shrugged. "You should know me better than anyone, Reginald – I never learn my lessons the first time."

Hawkmoth snickered darkly. "Well then, we shall consider this your final lecture," he said as he turned away. "Follow me, Adrien."

For the first time since he ran away, Adrien obeyed his stepfather willingly.

The two of them strolled down the field and up another hill where a burnt, crooked tree stood watch over the entire valley. Though the thing was dead, its branches continued to stretch up towards the sky like frozen wisps of black smoke. It gave Adrien a new sense of optimism; a feeling that something left for dead could still find a way to touch the heavens.

A strong breeze blew about the prince and the king, scattering snowy dust around them. The snow crunched beneath Adrien's feet, and he remembered the days when he would go sledding as a child, throwing snowballs and drinking melted chocolate and snuggling up with his parents in the royal sled. Those were the days Adrien treasured the most – the days when the whole family was happy together.

Adrien glanced back at Hawkmoth, who was staring out into the distance like an old man enjoying the view.

Hawkmoth didn't look at the boy as he spoke, "Do you remember when I saved you from your horse, Adrien? About ten years ago, if I recall."

"Of course I do," Adrien responded. "And I'm beginning to suspect that the horse didn't go mad on its own. Did it?"

Hawkmoth smirked and turned to face him. "No, you're right," he said. "That was _my_ doing. I bewitched the horse to speed away... and then I _heroically_ swooped in to save your life."

"All so to gain my trust," Adrien finished for him coldly.

"And your mother's," Hawkmoth added. He gazed over the white and grey expanse. Above them, the storm clouds grumbled louder. "It was quite the ingenious plan, wouldn't you say? Not even _she_ suspected I was the same man who murdered her husband."

Adrien narrowed his eyes at his stepfather. "Why are you doing this, Reginald?" he enquired. "What did I ever do to you? Why are you so obsessed with destroying my family and everyone that I love?"

Hawkmoth bore him a look that might have skewered the thief where he stood. "Because _my_ love was destroyed long ago!" he growled.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Adrien's mouth parted. "You..." he stammered. " _You've_ been in love?"

The lines on Hawkmoth's face seemed to soften. "It was a small flicker of light in the dark," he admitted. "Ever since I was a child, people who saw me use magic saw me as a monster; an unnatural flaw in the world that needed to be mended. But Seraphina..." Hawkmoth sighed through his nose. "She saw me clear as day... and she never looked away in fright. Though I had to practice my magic in secret, Seraphina would often assist me in my experiments, helping me gather ingredients or books. For a long time, she was all I ever wanted in the world. She stood by my side... until the end."

Adrien's face softened as he stared at his stepfather with wonderment. "What happened?" he asked.

Hawkmoth's grim expression returned. "Your father happened," he replied sharply. "Your grandfather, King Leopold, had embarked on his crusade against sorcerers, and Gabriel was his squire... and future son-in-law, by the time I met him. While hunting in the woods on his own one night, Gabriel fell into a ravine. I happened to be passing by, gathering herbs... and I saved his life." Hawkmoth snorted as though the memory amused him. "He seemed so noble and kind... and unbearably obsequious. He promised to keep my magic a secret in recompense for helping him."

Adrien looked away, confusion written all over his face. That didn't sound like his father at all. Adrien remembered Gabriel had been a strict man – cold and unyielding towards other people when displeased, including his own son on occasion. Adrien rarely saw his father smile or laugh, unless he was in the presence of his wife. Queen Vivienne always seemed to know the man behind the armour.

"I offered Gabriel a place in my home, with me and Seraphina," Hawkmoth continued. "He told us stories about his own love, Princess Vivienne. In that short time we spent together, I truly believed that I had found a kindred spirit in a man who wasn't like me; a knight who was disobeying his king's wishes and befriending an enemy of the crown. I thought that a man who would risk his own reputation just to keep a secret was someone I could truly trust."

The wizard gripped his cane so tightly it groaned. "But I was a fool blinded by my emotions," he said menacingly. "A week after Gabriel left to rejoin his squadron, soldiers came to our door – soldiers bearing the purple and black colours of Agreste."

Adrien cringed, knowing where this story was going before his stepfather even told him.

"They wanted to arrest me for treason and witchcraft," Hawkmoth said. "I didn't want any trouble, so I agreed to go willingly. But Seraphina wouldn't let them take me. And when she tried resisting the soldiers, they grabbed her as well. They started... hurting her." An aura of electrical energy appeared around Hawkmoth, as though he was struggling to reign in his magic even now. Adrien could see the amethyst brooch at his naval burning brightly. "In my anger, I lost control. I struck his men down with half a thought, and then I ripped their captain's heart out of his chest and crushed it with my bare hands. And in that moment... I realized just how powerful my magic truly was; the possibilities that I could perform."

"And when I looked around for Seraphina, to tell her of what I had accomplished..." Hawkmoth paused, and his head lowered with shame. "She was lying on top of a dead soldier... with his sword running through her middle."

Adrien reeled back.

"I... I don't know which of us had knocked her down, me or the soldiers," Hawkmoth said with a pained voice. "It didn't matter. I tried to save her, but I was too late. My Seraphina – the light of my life – was gone."

Adrien hung his own head down. "I am so sorry," he murmured.

"You should be," Hawkmoth snapped at him, his fury returning. "Those soldiers had been sent there by Leopold... after _your father_ told him where to find me."

The thief gave him an appalled look. "What?"

Hawkmoth turned back to the horizon. "I found out a few days later," he explained. "Gabriel had come into the Enchanted Forest looking for me. We encountered each other somewhere on the edge of the kingdom, where I was trying to make my way across a river. After Gabriel learned of Seraphina's death, he told me that Leopold's spies had followed him from our home. They reported to the king, and the king ordered Gabriel to tell him everything he knew about me... or else he would rescind his marriage to Vivienne and have Gabriel banished from Agreste." Hawkmoth glowered back at Adrien. "So your father told him – he told him _everything_."

Adrien's shoulders sagged. Now _that_ was starting to sound more like King Gabriel.

"He broke his promise," Hawkmoth seethed. "And because of him, my true love _died_. Gabriel swore that he didn't mean to; that it was a mistake he deeply regretted." The king laughed through his teeth. "But he hadn't regretted it just yet. My rage awakened something within me, and I attacked him. He was powerless to stop me, and eventually he pleaded for me to stop, for the sake of our friendship. I wanted so much to strike him down right then and there; to rip his heart out just like mine had been." The king sighed. "But I decided that death was too great a mercy for Gabriel. So I made him a promise of my own: I would never rest until he understood my misery. I would destroy his happiness, and everything he ever loved, if it was the last thing I did. Then I teleported away and left him there in his shame."

Hawkmoth shrugged. "In a way, Gabriel taught me a very important lesson: love is weakness, and power is strength." He looked down at his hands. "I had all this raw magic coercing through me, and I had squandered it for Seraphina's sake. But once she was gone, I realized that I could do so much more than I ever imagined... and I could use it to strike back against my enemies."

Hawkmoth lifted one hand, and a fireball erupted in his palm, making Adrien stagger back. "So instead of resisting my full potential," the king said, "I embraced it. I became Lord Hawkmoth." He clenched his fist, snuffing out the fireball and leaving tendrils of smoke along his fingers. "And I vowed to put an end to anyone who stood in my way... including your father and his beautiful queen." He glanced at Adrien. "And their precious little spawn."

Adrien couldn't believe it. His archenemy had driven himself into the darkness... all because he held Adrien's father responsible for his lover's death?

 _Then again_ , Adrien thought with a hard swallow, _I almost fell into that same darkness when I broke Ladybug's heart. But in the end, she proved to me that she still loved me. And that's what saved me._

Hawkmoth, on the other hand, had no one else to guide him back to the light. The only way for him to go was down, deeper into the madness that turned his heart to stone.

"For nine years, I waged war against Gabriel," Hawkmoth continued. "Then, one day, he surprised me with a challenge: one final duel on Storm's Peak. The coward who stole my happy ending _finally_ had the guts to face me himself." He touched his mask. "He put up quite a fight, I'll give him that much. One of my fireballs redirected off his shield and hit me instead."

Hawkmoth waved his hand at his face, and the silver mask peeled away like water.

Adrien gasped, bile rising in his throat.

The right side of the Sorcerer King's face was caked with glistening red scar tissue; starting from his chin and stretching all the way up along his cheek to his ear, which was now nothing but a hideous blob of skin. Some parts of his right eye were burned as well, and there was no eyebrow to be seen in that spot. A few reddish-purple veins ran along the side of his clean-shaven head like bolts of lightning.

Adrien took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and breathed again. "My god..." he uttered almost too-quietly.

Hawkmoth grinned, making his face more twisted and monstrous than ever. "Magic always comes at a price," he explained. "And _this_..." He beckoned to his scars. "...is the price I paid for my enemy's defeat." He then waved his hand again, and the regal silver mask immediately returned.

Then the king gave Adrien a dark smirk. "You should have seen _your father's_ face when I told him who I was," he boasted before huffing with bitterness. "Suffice it to say, his death at my hands turned out to be my greatest mistake."

Adrien blinked. His stepfather was not normally one to lament the death of an enemy. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Hawkmoth rolled his eyes. With another wave of his hand, something large, round and glass-like appeared between the two of them: a mirror.

Adrien watched wordlessly as the dark glass surface rippled and pulled away, revealing two figures facing each other in a violent rain storm on the peak of a jagged mountain. The first was Hawkmoth – mask-less and freshly-scarred, his burned face steaming from the rain.

The second, kneeling in front of him and gritting his teeth in pain, was a middle-aged man wearing the armour of a soldier of Agreste. His light-blonde hair was dishevelled and his skin was drenched with rain and sweat. His blue eyes were like ocean tides upon a shore: fierce and undaunted.

Adrien looked upon the brave man with grief and longing. "Father," he whispered.

Then, something red in the mirror-Hawkmoth's hands caught Adrien's attention, and the thief reeled with newfound horror. "No!" he cried.

"Quiet," the real Hawkmoth snapped. "Just watch."

Adrien didn't want to, but he couldn't bring himself to turn away.

"It's over, _Your Majesty_ ," the mirror-Hawkmoth gloated with maddening glee as he began squeezing the heart, making Gabriel groan. "Now I will finally repay you for destroying my happiness. You robbed me of the thing I loved most, and now I shall do the same to you." He leaned closer to Gabriel and hissed, "I will torture your little boy so much he won't be recognisable anymore. Vivienne will cry and beg me for mercy, and I shall give it to her. I shall wrap my fingers around that pretty throat of hers and silence her for good." The wizard grinned. "Unfortunately, you won't be able to see any of it."

Adrien placed his hand on the glass, wishing so badly he could reach inside and pull his father to safety.

Then, to the prince's surprise, King Gabriel smiled at his opponent, despite the pain of having his heart being slowly crushed. "You cannot win, Reginald," he panted. "If you destroy me now, you will only guarantee your defeat."

Hawkmoth frowned at him. "What are you talking about?" he spat.

Gabriel just continued to smile. "I have already given away my life," he replied. "And when I die, Vivienne and Adrien will be out of your reach."

"Did you hear a single word I just said?" Hawkmoth growled. "It doesn't matter where your wife and son are. I will find them, and I will destroy them! Then my Seraphina shall finally be avenged!"

Adrien's father winced as he rose up higher and glared into his enemy's eyes. "No!" he breathed. "If anyone deserves to die for what happened to that poor girl, it is _me_! I am the one to blame – I admit that now! And I will not let the ones I love suffer because of _my_ mistake!" King Gabriel lifted his chin with resolve. "Vivienne and Adrien shall not fall at your hand, Reginald. They will live on. And one day, my son will find his way in the world. He will find his own love and happiness... and he will become a greater man than I ever was. So go ahead," he coaxed with defiance. "Crush my heart and get it over with! If I must die tonight, then at least I will do so protecting what matters most!"

Tears welled up in Adrien's eyes, and he pressed harder against the mirror.

"You are delusional," Hawkmoth said with a shake of his head. "And your words are wasted. You cannot save your family from me. Not now, not ever."

Adrien covered his mouth as Hawkmoth ground the glowing heart to lifeless dust in his hand.

Gabriel stiffened, and then whispered with his last breath, "I already have."

The King of Agreste fell to the ground smiling.

Then the mirror vanished into purple smoke, leaving Adrien exposed to the distant landscape ahead.

The young prince sank to his knees, and the tears spilled at last. Tiny drops melted into the snow, making small cleaved bumps.

Adrien heard Hawkmoth step up to him.

"Haven't you ever wondered why I couldn't kill you myself, Adrien?" the king asked. "Why I put your mother under a sleeping curse?" His tone darkened as he immediately responded. "Because your father saved you."

Adrien snapped his head back up at the Sorcerer King, his eyes filled with grief and confusion. "What?" he breathed.

"He knew how powerful I had become, and he knew he couldn't stop me from taking my revenge on all of you," Hawkmoth explained. "I found out later that he had struck a deal with another sorcerer – an old master from the islands of Cheng. He gave Gabriel a powerful protection spell – one that would prevent me from directly harming you and your mother in any way." The king's face twitched with agitation. "Unfortunately, like I said, magic comes at a price. To save a life – or, in this case, _two_ – a life had to be willingly given. All Gabriel had to do was sacrifice himself, and the spell would take effect."

Hawkmoth glowered at Adrien as though it was _his_ fault. "Now I can't even snap your neck with a simple spell or push you off a stairwell... or allow you to fall off your horse. Even in death, Gabriel found a way to defeat me – using the one thing he feared the most, ironically enough."

Adrien remembered what he had told Ladybug during their first campout in the Enchanted Forest: _My father was a man who believed that duty was more important than anything else._

But... King Gabriel's family _was_ his duty. He must have realized just how important and precious love was sometime after what happened to Seraphina. Adrien's father gave up his life – and he risked using magic himself – just to protect his wife and son from an enemy he knew he couldn't beat. Not only that, but he wanted Adrien to have his own happy ending. He wanted Adrien to live and be a better man.

Adrien took a deep breath, let it out, and looked up at the sky. _Father... I am so sorry._

Then the thief stood up and turned back to the Sorcerer King with narrowed eyes. "My father didn't defeat you because of some protection spell," he stated firmly. "He defeated you because _his_ love for me and my mother was stronger than _your_ hatred towards _him_."

Hawkmoth snorted at him with a scowl. "You truly are Gabriel's son, if you think that love is as powerful as you say. You are both fools. Love didn't save my Seraphina, it didn't save your father or your mother, and it will not save you... or your precious princess."

Adrien could feel all of that anger and grief and pity bulging inside him. "Just because you've lost someone you loved doesn't mean everyone else has to lose their loved ones too," he persisted. "You've directed all of this anger at me, and for what? So you can take revenge on a man you've already killed?" He shook his head. "You have to let go of the past, Reginald. Haven't we both suffered enough?"

Hawkmoth's response was cold and direct: "No – not _nearly_ enough."

He reached into the folds of his trench coat and pulled out a small velvet bag. Reaching inside, Hawkmoth emerged with a round object that was as red as blood.

Adrien almost reeled back, but then he paused. He didn't know whether to be relieved that it wasn't a heart, or confused that it was actually an apple. "What is that?" he asked.

Hawkmoth shrugged with a sneer. "Just a morsel," he claimed.

Adrien didn't need his cat sense to tell him that it wasn't _just_ a morsel.

The king held out the apple against the horizon. It stood out so brightly against the snowy landscape that it looked terrifyingly beautiful.

Hawkmoth chuckled. "Did you want to know something ironic?" he asked, smiling up at Adrien. "The apple is a symbol of royalty and good health."

Adrien's frown deepened. "Then why do I get the feeling that apple will kill me?"

"Kill you?" Hawkmoth asked with raised eyebrows. He laughed again and shook his head. "Oh, no, no, no, my dear boy. If I wanted to kill you, I would crush your heart right inside your chest. But, thanks to your father, I can't. _This_ , on the other hand..." He extended the apple towards Adrien now. "This will do something _far worse_."

Adrien swallowed hard, but his determination didn't falter.

Hawkmoth looked deeply into his stepson's green eyes. "Just one bite, and you will only _appear_ to be dead," he explained with a purr in his voice. "Your body will become your tomb, frozen in time. But your mind will become your prison." Hawkmoth's grin grew wider as he spoke. "You will be trapped in an endless maze of darkness made of your worst fears and deepest regrets... for all eternity."

Adrien glanced down at the apple, his thoughts racing as he began piecing the last bits of the puzzle together. "Is that the kind of fate you bestowed upon my mother?" he asked.

"More or less," Hawkmoth replied.

It terrified Adrien, imagining his mother trapped in such a horrific nightmare. And for such a long time, too.

The thief lifted his chin defiantly at the king. "Then good luck trying to force-feed me that," he stated with half a smirk.

Hawkmoth huffed. "Would that I could," he said. "But, you see, that's not how the curse works. It must be taken by a willing victim. And believe me, Adrien..." He added with a darkened gaze. "You _are_ going to eat this apple."

The certainty in the king's words made Adrien's confidence wane. "What makes you so sure?" he asked.

"Because if you don't," Hawkmoth replied, once again bearing that wicked gleam in his eye. "Your princess – your _Ladybug_ – will be killed."

Adrien's heart tightened and his face slackened.

"That's right, _Cat Noir_ ," Hawkmoth cooed darkly. "I will rip that sweet, brave heart of hers right out of her chest... and I will crush it _ever so slowly_. And you will hold her in your arms and watch the life leave her eyes little by little... until there's nothing left."

Blood pounded in Adrien's ears, and he shook his head. "No..." he exhaled sharply.

He had seen how such a fate had befallen Nathalie. And his father.

But not his Ladybug. _Never_ his Ladybug!

"Yes," Hawkmoth countered. Then he shrugged and looked away like the topic disinterested him. "But the choice is yours, of course. Far be it from me to deny _you_ the chance to save _your_ true love."

Adrien didn't look away from the king. He blinked away a few stray tears, and he could already feel his insides going numb with sorrow.

If Ladybug died, he could never live with himself. But if she lived, he would never see her again.

Hawkmoth was right. Adrien knew how this confrontation was going to go. He had known since the Castle Bourgeois dungeons.

But even now, the princely thief refused to believe that his story would end here. No... That _their_ story would end here.

Adrien reached into his pocket and pulled out Ladybug's good luck charm, running the beads through his fingers. Just looking at it – and remembering the promise he made her back in the dungeon – burned away all traces of fear inside him.

 _She will find me again_ , Adrien concluded as he grasped the charm in his palm. _Wherever I go from here, no matter what happens, she will find me._

Adrien finally spoke to Hawkmoth resolutely, "I eat that, and you let Ladybug live. You let her go free!" It was more of a demand than anything else, and Adrien thought for a moment he sounded a bit like his father. "Swear it, and we have a deal!"

Hawkmoth made eye-contact with the boy once more. "Cross my heart," he said slowly, his teeth flashing.

Adrien sighed... and then accepted the apple from the king's hand. "Congratulations, stepfather," he said with a sad smile. "You've won."

 _For now_ , that voice inside his heart vowed.

Keeping his firm eyes locked on the king, Adrien lifted the apple to his lips... and took a confident bite.

At the same time, thunder boomed across the sky.

Hawkmoth flashed a profound smile as he eagerly watched Adrien chew and swallow.

Adrien felt the apple bit fall down his throat.

Nothing happened.

The wind blew about him and the storm finally rolled over the two men, grumbling with eagerness.

Then, almost instantaneously, Adrien began to feel dizzy.

He blinked. Then again. And again. But no matter how hard he tried to focus, his vision kept getting hazier by the second. One moment he was seeing Hawkmoth... and the next he was seeing two of him. Then three.

Then funny spots of red and black danced in all corners of his eyes. Red and black... almost like a ladybug...

* * *

Marinette was resting on the small cot inside her prison cell... when suddenly she was awoken by a small stabbing pain in her chest.

Gasping sharply, Marinette scrambled off the cot and leaned forward, a hand pressed over her heart. She tried to take deep breaths, but that seemed to only make it worse.

"Ah!" she cried out as she fell to her knees, hunching over in agony.

Panic flooded through the princess, her heart pounding.

 _What is happening to me?_

* * *

Adrien felt his heart pounding, but he could no longer hear it.

He struggled to breathe, each one becoming exceedingly harder to draw in.

It was getting colder. The snow beneath his feet seemed to seep into his bones. Every brush of wind was like a knife piercing his skin.

He saw Hawkmoth's lips move, but no words came out.

Adrien gasped one last time before his throat constricted.

He clutched his throat, feeling for obstruction. But there was nothing there... because it wasn't the apple choking him. It was the poison inside it.

Adrien's mouth hung open and his eyes widened.

All the while, he felt his entire body go numb and weak.

* * *

Marinette could see it now, like she was looking through someone else's eyes.

She saw fields of snow.

She saw a dead tree.

She saw Hawkmoth, beaming at her maniacally as she hunched over.

 _Oh no_ , Marinette thought as she realized whose eyes she was looking through.

She cried out again as her heart exploded with pain.

* * *

Adrien's lungs burned, screaming for more air. But he couldn't get any.

He felt so heavy. He started swaying in his spot. It was so cold now.

 _Make it stop... please..._

His lungs burst, and his face relaxed.

His legs gave away and he collapsed to his knees. And he knew this was it.

Then... in some corner of this mind that was fighting desperately to cling to life, he saw _her_.

She was in pain. She was crying his name.

Adrien smiled, and the tears that fell from his cheeks were all that he knew.

Finally, his heart stopped beating.

The lucky charm slipped from his hand.

Darkness enveloped him.

* * *

Marinette gasped, her bluebell eyes snapping open.

The pain was gone.

And... And that meant... that _he_ was...

"Adrien..." she panted. "No!"

She searched deep within the bowels of her consciousness, searching for any trace of him that might still be there.

There was nothing but a small black hole in her heart; the hole where her Cat Noir had once been. Only now, it was empty.

Adrien was gone.

Marinette's panic turned into grief. _No... He can't be... He can't!_

Then, just like that, her grief turned into rage.

She rose to her feet and raced over to the large metal door. It had only a tiny barred window on the top half, but that didn't stop her from grasping the bars and shaking them with all her might.

"What have you done to him?!" Marinette shrieked, knowing that the person she addressed could hear her. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

* * *

Lightning flashed above Hawkmoth, striking against the snow and almost blinding him.

And below him, limp and lifeless on his side, lay Prince Adrien.

All colour vanished from his cheeks and lips, giving him the complexion of waxy marble. His golden hair blew about his head like pale grass in the wind.

The Sorcerer King could feel the last traces of breath leave the boy. He could hear no more beats from Adrien's noble heart.

 _He's gone_ , Hawkmoth thought elatedly. _He's finally gone!_

At that moment, Adrien's fingers went limp, and the poisoned apple slipped out of his hand and rolled onto the snow. It stopped a few inches away, the bitten part clear to see.

 _It worked. It is done._

 _I've won!_

Hawkmoth raised his head to the high heavens, basking in the glorious storm that unleashed before him. Waves of thunder pounded through the air like vibrant drums. It almost sounded like applause.

After twenty years of plotting and scheming and lying and killing, he finally had done it. He finally brought an end to the enemies who destroyed his chance of a happy ending. His revenge was finally complete!

Then, his magical senses picked up screaming in the distant wind: sweet, beautiful, heart-wrenching screaming.

It only heightened Hawkmoth's cruel ecstasy, so much that he started laughing.

He crowed so loudly and maniacally that not even the storm could conceal it. It rumbled with the thunder and carried itself out across the entire kingdom. Now everyone would know of his victory, and no one will ever challenge his rule again!

Lightning flashed again, as though the storm was laughing with the evil wizard.

* * *

Marinette banged against her cell door with her fist, each pound echoing throughout the tower and making her bones rattle.

Her hand clenched in pain, but that didn't stop her.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

 _I have to get out of here!_

BANG! BANG!

 _I have to find Adrien!_

BANG!

Her strength began to wane, her pounding growing softer.

 _I have to...!_

Bang!

 _...find..._

Bang.

Marinette panted and finally stopped.

Then she burst into tears.

She sank onto the tiled ground, her sweaty fingers greasing the door as she went down. Then she rested her forehead against the cold metal.

"Adrien," she finished with a heavy sob.

But Adrien was no longer there. The princess's only company now was the metal door.

 _Have faith, my lady_. Those had been her prince's final words to her. And she had believed them. She wanted so badly to believe them.

But now... Adrien was gone. And Marinette was lost.

There was nothing left for her to hang onto now, save for her fractured heart.

Marinette cried on, and the howling wind outside her cell whispered a piercing epitaph.

* * *

 **MB: And so ends the tragedy of Part 3.**

 **I know this chapter was a bit of an info-dump. It took me forever to figure out Hawkmoth's backstory while trying to have it make sense with the rest of the story. I was originally going to have Adrien's mother as Hawkmoth's lost love interest, but then I decided to use a made-up character instead and give Hawkmoth a tragic backstory kind of like Regina from _Once Upon a Time_ (which I do not own). Plus, it makes his hatred towards Gabriel and his obsession with ending Adrien more realistic.**

 **Yes, I know that Adrien's mother's name is actually Emilie, but let's just pretend that this is an alternate universe or something, okay? (Also, I do not own _Miraculous_ )**

 **Just a head's up for Part 4: it will mainly focus on Marinette, but I will also have some snippets of Adrien in the nightmare world. So don't despair yet, readers! True love will conquer all!**


	19. 4:1: The Flight of the Ladybug

**PART 4:**

 _Nothing lasts forever._

 _The sun must always set, and the light must fade._

 _The night must always rise before giving way once more to morning._

 _Life goes on until it can go no further._

 _Times of chaos must be resolved by peace._

 _Times of peace eventually crumble and lead to chaos._

 _Nothing lasts forever._

 _Not even love._

 _But sometimes, in rare cases, love finds a way to last even in death._

 _And sometimes, in the rarest of cases, love is given a second chance at life..._

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1:**_

 _ **The Flight of the Ladybug**_

ADRIEN:

I am lost.

Everywhere I look, I see only darkness. I am standing, but I can't see the ground. I am breathing, but it seems different; unreal. I am awake, but... wasn't I just asleep?

I remember now. The apple.

Then this place is... Me.

 _My_ mind. _My_ darkness. _My_ nightmare.

I am confused. There is nothing here, no horrors to welcome me. I turn around. That is... I _think_ I'm turning around.

Suddenly, I am standing on stones. Black stones. In a tunnel. With a small light in the distance.

I am panicking, but I can't feel my heart beat. What is this? I have seen this tunnel before, but only in my dreams. But is this a dream, or a different kind of reality? And if the latter is true – if I'm not really dreaming – how am I ever going to wake up?

I hear something.

A voice. A woman's voice, screaming. "Adrien..."

But wait... could it be? She sounds like...

"Adrien... Adrien..."

She cannot be here. How is she here? Was she cursed too? Where is she?

"Adrien... Adrien..."

The voice is getting fainter. She's fading away.

No! I can't lose her again!

I run towards the light, my feet thumping heavily on the stones. Normally I'm a light runner.

The tunnel moves – it grows. The exit is moving away, beyond my reach. And so is she.

But I don't stop. I will not stop. I will find her. I will always find her.

I keep on running.

* * *

"Adrien!" Nino called across the field.

Snow came down in soft, slow specks all around him. The wind had died, but the air still carried a hard chill.

But it wasn't the weather that made the huntsman shudder.

He called out again, louder this time. "Adrien!"

Still no response.

Nino sighed, his panic rising. He wasn't getting anywhere at this rate. And his instincts were telling him that nothing good would come of the search. But he had to keep looking. He just _had_ to.

Nino raced back up the hill to the rickety old stable. Alya was inside, kneeling down and sniffing around like a hound tracking its quarry. "Anything?" the huntsman panted as he approached her.

Alya's brow was furrowed with irritation. "He _was_ here," she said as she rose up. "His scent is faint, but it can't be more than an hour old." She turned to her boyfriend with wary amber eyes. "The only problem is... I can't detect it anywhere else. It's almost like the scent just... vanished."

That made Nino more frightened than confused, but he gripped her hand with assurance. "Keep trying," he insisted. "If he was here not too long ago, he can't be far away."

But even if he wasn't... why couldn't Alya sense him?

At that moment, Kim's voice screamed from outside: "Over here! HURRY!"

Nino and Alya snapped to each other, eyes wide. Neither of them had heard the strongman use _that_ hair-raising tone before.

That could only mean one thing.

"No..." Nino breathed, his blood racing.

The pair tore out of the stables and ran as fast as they could down the field. Further up ahead, Kim was waving to them frantically and pointing to a cluster of bodies next to a crooked black tree on a hill. Every one of them was kneeling on the ground, their heads lowered.

Nino forced himself to run faster, the cold air tearing the inside of this throat.

But Alya was quicker. She reached the top of the hill first, where their friends were gathering around...

Alya gasped and stumbled, covering her mouth with horror.

Nino came right up from behind her... and stopped with a jolt.

 _Adrien._

He was... just lying there peacefully, like he just decided to take a nap right here on the soft snow.

Rose cradled his head in her lap. She was brushing snowflakes from his golden hair, which wasn't so golden anymore. There were tears in her eyes. Max kneeled beside her, his dark skin an unusually-lighter shade.

Nathaniel was embracing Juleka, whispering to her. "Shh, shh," he said, his voice cracking. "Easy. I know. It's okay." But apparently it wasn't working, because the long-haired spy continued sobbing into his chest.

Kim was the only one standing. He kept doing something different every few seconds: running his hands through his hair, pacing back and forth, or leaning against the dead black tree with his eyes downcast.

Nino glanced at every single one of his friends in disbelief, and then looked down at Adrien. "What happened?" he said, sounding harsher than he intended.

Max answered him with sorrowful eyes. "We don't know. We found him this way."

Nino turned to their healer. "Rose? Talk to me!"

"I already checked!" she replied angrily. "I can't figure out what's wrong with him. From what I can tell, there _shouldn't_ be anything wrong with him! He should be fine!"

Kim turned back to the group. "Well, _clearly_ he's not!" he growled.

"Back off, Kim!" Nino snapped. "She's doing her best!"

The strongman bit his lip and slouched.

Alya fell to her knees beside Adrien and drew her knife. Then she lifted the blade in front of Adrien's nose.

Nino watched. He had never been much of a believer, but at this very moment, he prayed to whatever god was out there. _Please._

Alya pulled the knife away slowly, and then it slipped from her shaking hand. Then her whole body was shaking. "He's not breathing," she uttered.

Six heads hung down.

But Nino continued to stare at Adrien. _Come on, man. Don't do this to me. Open your eyes. Tell her she's wrong. Twitch. Anything!_

But his best friend remained motionless. His pale lips didn't move. No spot of red appeared on his cheeks. His eyes refused to open.

Suddenly, everything seemed colder than before.

Nino's vision blurred and he blinked. Hot tears flowed down his face. A few landed on his glasses. He didn't bother to wipe them away.

Soon enough, there was plenty of crying to go around.

Alya buried her face in her hands. Rose bent over Adrien's head, pulling him close. Max rested his cheek on her shoulder as he tried to comfort her. Nathaniel looked away, his eyes squeezed shut. Juleka was probably getting his whole tunic wet now.

But Kim wouldn't stay silent, even in grief. He growled like a wolf out for blood before letting out a ferocious yell and slamming his fist into the tree. The whole thing shook, sending a shower of snow falling from the branches.

Everyone immediately snapped up to their friend, looking sad and worried at the same time.

Kim panted heavily before snarling, "Hawkmoth will pay dearly for this! _I'm going MAKE him pay!_ "

Nino was in front of him in a heartbeat, harnessing all his pain into a cold glare. "You go up against the king, and you'll be no better than Adrien! You'll only get yourself killed!" he argued.

Kim responded by giving the huntsman a rough shove. "At least I'll go down fighting!" he retorted hotly. "I'm sick and tired of working in the shadows! I say we take the fight to him and finish this!"

Max straightened up like a ground-hog out of its hole. "And how substantial do you think our odds are?" he asked coldly. "If Adrien couldn't beat him, what makes you think _we_ can?"

Now Rose was shouting. "We can't just let Hawkmoth get away with this!"

"And what do you suggest, Rosie?" Kim snapped at her. "You got a king-killer potion in that bag of yours somewhere?"

"Hey!" Nino barked. "I said leave her alone!"

"Okay!" Nathaniel said as he pulled himself free of Juleka. "Everyone needs to calm down. This isn't helping any of us!"

"He's right," Juleka said with narrowed gaze at Kim. "We need to coordinate a plan of attack."

"And do _what_?" Nino shouted, his anger reaching a boiling point. "Storm Hawkmoth's castle? He's not as stupid as Chloe! He'll be _expecting_ us to strike at him in revenge!"

"I thought _you_ of all people would _want_ to get back at Mothball!" Kim bellowed in his face. "I thought Adrien was your best friend!"

"Shut up!" Nino shrieked. "Don't you _ever_ give me that shit, you porcupine-headed-!"

" _ENOUGH_!"

There was a flash of amber light and a burst of hard wind that almost sent both Nino and Kim off their feet. Everyone else cringed with gaping eyes. Snow scattered in all directions.

Then there was silence.

Panting, Nino caught the scent of burning wood and flaming spices. He pivoted around slowly to see Alya back on her feet.

All of that magic she unleashed swirled back into her body, leaving her skin glowing and her eyes burning so brightly they reminded the huntsman of twin suns. Her auburn hair blew around her face before settling back down, and she gave everyone brooding looks.

Nino gulped. He had no idea she could do that.

The... flaming wave of power thing, not the brooding look. _That_ , he was used to.

Alya's voice came out like a blade sharpening on a whetstone. "You should all be ashamed yourselves. Our friend is _dead_ – and you pick now of all times to throw a temper tantrum?!"

No one responded, but they hung their heads down like scolded children.

"There _will_ be a time to be angry..." Alya went on, her tone softening. "...and fight..." She looked at Kim. "...and seek revenge." She looked at Nino. "But _now_ is not the time. We need to take a step back and recover. And what about Adrien?" She beckoned to their black-clad friend on the ground. "Are we just going to leave him here while we go off on some heroic crusade? No! He deserves better than that. He deserves to be mourned and remembered."

Nino felt guilt gnawing at him from within. He remembered what it was like to be an Akuma – acting solely on anger and impulse, running straight into a fight without thinking. Adrien had saved him from that. And now that he was gone... it was like old habits were coming back.

Kim looked just as worse, rubbing the back of his neck and letting his brown eyes tear up again.

The others exchanged apologetic glances, their anger seeping away like melted snow.

Then Kim finally said, "I'm sorry. It's just... Adrien... he..." He sniffled and shook his head. "He was more than just our friend. He was our _king_ ; our leader. He's the one who brought the Seven Bandits together. Without him... we'll far apart."

Alya sighed deeply and lifted her chin. "No, we won't," she said firmly. "Not as long as we remember who we are and what we're fighting for. Adrien may be gone, but our friendship – and our mission – will live on. It _has_ to, because there is no hope left for the kingdom if we give up now. We're not doing this for revenge... we're doing this for freedom. For peace." Alya smiled. "For Adrien."

Rose wiped her face and smiled. "For Adrien," she whimpered.

Max nodded. "For Adrien."

"For Adrien," Nathaniel and Juleka said in unison.

Nino looked at Kim.

The strongman grinned nervously and clasped the dark-skinned huntsman on the shoulder. "For Adrien," he said with a nod.

Nino returned the gesture. "For Adrien," he stated before turning to Alya with a sad yet proud smile.

The leader of the Seven Bandits nodded. "The snow is coming down hard," she declared. "Kim, you carry Adrien. Let's bring him home."

As everyone else rose to their feet and prepared for the long journey back to the Enchanted Forest, Nino walked over to Alya and kissed her.

"What was that for?" she asked with an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing," Nino replied with a smile. "Just for being right."

Alya let out tiny humph. "Maybe you _should_ fight more often," she quipped.

Nino looked to see Kim lifting Adrien's body into his arms with extreme carefulness, and the huntsman's heart sank.

"No," he said. "You're right. If we let ourselves fall apart now, everything we fought for – everything _he_ fought for – will be for nothing."

He glanced at the ground... and that's when he saw something green and pink lying in the snow. It had lain underneath Adrien the whole time.

Curious, Nino walked over and picked it up. It was Marinette's lucky charm.

Nino sighed. In all the time he spent looking for Adrien, Nino never once thought about Marinette. She was still locked up in Hawkmoth's tower, waiting for her prince to come and rescue her. Nino clutched the charm tightly with remorse.

Alya looked down at it and shook her head. "She's going to be so heartbroken when she finds out," she murmured as her eyes began watering again. "Do you think she's even still alive?"

Nino passed the charm to her and pulled the shape-shifter close to him. "Knowing her," he said as they followed the rest of the group down the hill, "she's probably busting out of Hawkmoth's tower right now. I'm sure of it."

* * *

Hawkmoth shook his head smiling as he gazed into the magic mirror.

"Oh, this is just too delicious!" he chortled, clenching his hands into fists excitedly. "A tight-knit team slowly falling apart at the seams, yet they _still_ think they stand a chance against me?" He almost frowned at that. "Apparently, my stepson's stubbornness has rubbed off on them." He shrugged with a sneer. "It matters not. They won't last long without their heroic leader."

The king breathed in deeply, and let out a satisfying sigh. He could still smell the sweet scent of heartache and bitterness in the air.

"Now then," Hawkmoth said, waving his hand at the mirror. "Let's check on our pretty little guest, shall we?"

The images of the Seven Bandits vanished, and Marinette appeared.

The princess was sitting on her cot, her long bluish hair obscuring her face from view, her hands in her lap as though in mourning. Hawkmoth couldn't see her expression, but he could feel her emotions flowing off her like water off a duck's back... and it made him laugh.

"Just as I thought," the Sorcerer King said. "Without love, there is no light. And without light and hope, there is only darkness and negativity. Such easy prey for my akumas." He called over his shoulder, "Guards!"

Two Akuma Guards approached him and bowed. "Yes, my master," they said in unison.

"Escort Princess Marinette down to the throne room," Hawkmoth order with a smile. "I will meet her there after I return from the atrium."

The men bowed again and marched out of the king's private chambers.

Hawkmoth reverted the mirror to its black, inert state before heading for the doorway himself. First he had an akuma to create. Then the princess's conversion would begin.

This was turning out to be a very rewarding day.

* * *

Marinette didn't flinch when the door to her cell screeched open.

She didn't pull away from the two Akuma Guards when they clapped iron manacles on her wrists and lifted her to her feet.

She didn't ask them where they were taking her as they led her out of the cell and down the tower steps. She knew very well what was going on.

But she didn't fight back. She just gave up and let her captors pull her along like a useless doll. Her heart was so broken she no longer had the strength to resist anymore.

Well, that's what Marinette wanted the Akumas to think, anyway.

As soon as they reached the bottom of the steps, however, Marinette "fainted" and sank to her hands and knees.

One of the guards grabbed her shoulder roughly. "On your feet!" he snarled.

At that moment, Marinette's bluebell eyes snapped open with a purpose.

Then she rose and punched the soldier right in the stomach, causing the man to stagger back.

Marinette leapt to her feet, but the second guard grabbed her from behind and wrapped his arms around her like a snake.

As she struggled, the hunched Akuma came at her furiously. But the princess landed him a good hard kick to his chest, sending the first guard sprawling to the ground.

The Akuma holding Marinette squeezed her tighter, so Marinette tried a different tactic. With a defiant yell, she rammed him into the wall behind them. The soldier got the wind knocked out of him, with in turn allowed Marinette to wrench herself free and elbow him square in the face. The Akuma slid down along the wall, out cold.

Marinette returned her attention to the first Akuma, who by then had already risen and unsheathed his sword.

But Marinette had her mother's Chengise blood flowing through her. As the soldier swung at her, she swerved out of the way and grabbed onto his arm, bringing his elbow right on top of her shoulder. Then the princess yanked the arm down, and there was a sickening SNAP!

The Akuma shrieked in pain, but Marinette was far from done. She kicked him in the kneecap – very hard – and forced him down. Then she slid the chain holding her manacles together right around the man's neck and pulled upward.

He gasped and choked and tried to pull her off, but he only had one arm that worked and he couldn't stand up. Breathing heavily through her teeth, Marinette ignored the strain in her arms and kept pulling.

Finally, the Akuma stopped wheezing... and moving. He slumped against Marinette, and she lowered him down gently so that his armour wouldn't clang loudly upon the tiled floor.

Marinette panted, glancing between the two unresponsive men. _I guess I_ can _fight in a dress_ , she thought. _While barefoot. And in manacles._

She searched both bodies for a key, and found it. But then she heard shouts coming down one of the hallways. She would have to unlock her manacles later.

Marinette picked up her skirt and ran the opposite way. Since she wore no shoes or boots, her steps were soft and silent, but she knew she couldn't run forever. To top that off, she had no weapon to defend herself with.

As she ran, Marinette spotted a door marked by an intricate metal archway adorned with angels. A chapel?

Thinking quickly, the princess pushed the doors open and slid inside. Just as it closed, she heard a stampede of footsteps drawing closer. Marinette held her breath. The steps grew louder... and then quieter. Then they vanished down the hall.

Marinette sighed with relief and leaned against the door.

That's when she saw the coffin.

Actually, it looked more like a giant slab of pure, blue crystal. It sat right on top of the altar. A bright beam of sunlight streamed through one of the slit-like windows above and landed upon the crystal, bathing the walls and floor in sparkling rainbow lights.

The sight was so dazzling that Marinette couldn't help but take a closer look.

She stepped up to the altar, and noticed that there was something lying _inside_ the crystal. It looked like a body. Marinette shivered, but it made her all the more curious. Why would Hawkmoth keep a crystallized body in his chapel?

She reached the crystal and peered over to look at the person's face through the clear, gleaming facets.

Marinette gasped.

The resemblance to Adrien was so striking. Golden hair that lay in shimmering waves along her head. A sharp, triangular face with tiny lips that bore no colour. She wore no crown on her head, but she was dressed in a regal, white gown. Undoubtedly she was the most beautiful woman Marinette had ever laid eyes on.

"Queen Vivienne," she breathed. _Adrien's mother._

Marinette placed her hand on the crystal and stared down at the queen's peaceful face with sadness. Flowers of all sorts lay scattered around her body. They all looked fresh, as though they had been put in there yesterday.

 _A crystal that can hold back the decaying effects of time_ , Marinette thought.

Or maybe... maybe it was an effect of the sleeping curse – unable to die, but unable to live either.

Just like Adrien...

A theory struck Marinette like a needle, and she gasped. Just like Adrien!

She remembered what Hawkmoth had told her back at Castle Bourgeois, while he was showing her the weird blue potion: _This will be a far more satisfying brand of punishment for Adrien... and far less merciful than death._

What if... _this_ was what Hawkmoth meant? What if he wanted Adrien to suffer without dying, just like his mother? To be trapped in an endless dream of torment?

What if the blue potion was a sleeping curse?!

And if _that's_ true, then...

For the first time since she felt Adrien slip into darkness, Marinette felt hope rising up in her chest. Only this time, it was stronger than ever before.

"I know how to save him," she whispered.

Suddenly, a distant bell went off somewhere in the castle.

Marinette snapped towards the door. Now Hawkmoth would know of her escape. She had to move quickly.

She looked back down at Queen Vivienne and smiled. "Don't worry, my queen," she said. "I promise I'll bring your son back. And then we'll both set you free. Just you wait."

Marinette made quick work of her manacles with the stolen key, and then tossed them off to the side. With one last look at the crystal coffin, the princess raced down the aisle and flew through the chapel doors.

* * *

"Where is she?!" Hawkmoth screeched to the three quivering guards standing before his throne. " _Where is my prisoner?!_ "

One of the men made the mistake of talking. "Escaped, my master."

Hawkmoth thrust out his open hand, and the unfortunate Akuma flew backwards across the chamber.

Then the king glowered at the other two. "Idiots!" he hissed. "One unarmed princess in a castle full of soldiers... and you let her _escape_?!"

"We will find her, my master," the second guard affirmed. "She'll never make it out of the castle alive."

Hawkmoth seethed. "No... no, she won't." He began pacing back and forth on the dais, his blue eyes wide with paranoia. "This girl is cleverer than I anticipated. If she manages to get out of here, she will no doubt find a way to break Adrien's curse! I _cannot_ let that happen!"

The king knew what he had to do. No more mercy. No more playing games. This "Ladybug" had to be squashed before it was too late.

Hawkmoth snapped to his Akumas. "Scour the entire grounds!" he commanded. "And give the order: I want Princess Marinette killed on sight!"

* * *

Castle Agreste was bigger than Marinette realized... and crawling with Akuma Guards.

More than once, she had to duck behind a pillar or through a doorway just to avoid a passing squad. Keeping her breathing under control, Marinette timed her movements carefully and slid unnoticed to the second level of the castle.

 _If I can get to the stables and find a horse, I can get out of here._

Checking around the corners of the stairwell exit, Marinette sprinted down the hallway...

...only to see an Akuma archer with a large sack on his back emerge out of hiding and raise an arrow directly at her.

Marinette halted, panic shooting through her veins. She spun back around, but another soldier appeared and blocked her way.

The blunette glanced between the two men. No way was she getting out of here without getting shot or stabbed. _Shit._

"Lord Hawkmoth wants her dead," the small Akuma swordsman said to his partner. "Shoot her!"

Marinette looked at the archer. His face was completely obscured by a hideous metal facemask: the face of death.

The archer drew the arrow back further... and fired.

The arrow soared straight past Marinette. She looked back just in time to see the other Akuma drop dead on the floor, the arrow protruding from his throat.

Reeling with both relief and bewilderment, Marinette turned back to the archer.

The man lowered his bow calmly and then reached up and lifted his mask and helmet off.

A familiar face – a _woman's_ face – greeted Marinette with a regal smile and twinkling bluebell eyes. Shimmering midnight-blue hair was swept up into a tight braid that fell like a ribbon down her back.

Marinette's jaw dropped... and she almost squealed.

"Fighting a whole army of Akumas... in your _underwear_?" Princess Bridgette said with a red-faced giggle. "You always were the odd sister."

Marinette beamed and rushed forward to embrace her rescuer. "And _you_ always were the timely one," she laughed into Bridgette's shoulder. Then she pulled away, but didn't let go. "How did you find me?"

The heir of Dupain-Cheng smirked. "That rogue of yours sent me," she replied.

Marinette felt her heart stop. "Adrien?" she asked confusedly. "But... how? He's..."

"Let me rephrase that," Bridgette interjected. "He sent a message to Mother and Father three days ago, telling us what happened and where you were being held. He mentioned that Hawkmoth wouldn't stay true to his word and beseeched us to get you out. So..." The elder princess opened up her arms. "Who better to do that than Dupain-Cheng's finest warrior?"

Marinette frowned playfully. " _One_ of Dupain-Cheng's finest warriors," she corrected.

"Yes, well... Technically, I'm rescuing you, so..."

The younger princess scoffed at Bridgette. "Whatever. I'm just glad you're here, Bridge." She peered over at the large sack her sister carried. "Please tell me you have a change of clothes in there."

Bridgette grinned. "Better," she said as she shrugged the pack off and bent over to rip it open.

She came back up holding a cherry-wood bow and a quiver of red-fletched arrows in one hand... and a red, black-spotted cloak in the other.

Marinette gaped at them, like she was seeing a pair of old friends.

"Adrien sent _these_ too," Bridgette said with a wink.

Her sister took the cloak first, holding it against her like a child would a teddy bear. Then she scooped up her bow, running her fingers along the wood. "Looks like it's time for the Ladybug to take flight," Marinette quipped with a determined grin.

Bridgette nodded. "But first, let's get you out of that ridiculous dress." She glanced behind her sister at the Akuma Guard she had shot. Bridgette pointed a suggestive finger at him. "That guy looks about your size."

* * *

Hawkmoth threw open the doors to his private chambers with magic, banging them so hard against the walls they almost broke right off.

But the king ignored the clamour and stormed over to his magic mirror. If the princess was still in the castle, he had to know exactly where. Then his soldiers would corner her and end her for good.

He was about to give the mirror his command when...

Shouts rang out from the courtyard behind him.

Hawkmoth spun around and rushed over to the balcony. A hundred feet below, he could see the tiny black forms of his Akuma Guards racing into the courtyard.

Then, two more forms emerged from the castle, both charging forward on horses. One of them was wearing a bright red cloak.

"NO!" Hawkmoth's shout lashed through the air. "Stop them, you fools!"

But every time one of the soldiers tried to strike, they fell dead from an arrow or a sword. No matter what came at the riders, they continued to race towards the open gate.

Fury and disbelief surged through the Sorcerer King, causing his hands to burst into flames. "Not so fast, princess," he growled before sending both fireballs down towards the two riders.

They flew down like meteors and crashed onto the pavement. Hawkmoth heard the horses' startled screams, but they stayed their course.

So the king rained down more upon the courtyard. Some of them hit his own guards, but he didn't care.

Yet, no matter how well he aimed, none of his shots struck true. The red princess and her mysterious companion glanced back up behind them every time they heard a whooshing rush of flame, and both of them were able to steer out of the way.

Hawkmoth watched the whole thing aghast. His entire courtyard was going up in flames... and she _still_ wasn't dead?!

"The gate!" the king called down. "Seal the gate! NOW!"

But it was already too late.

The two riders burst through the entrance, running over any Akuma blocking their path, and emerged into the safety of the open countryside.

Hawkmoth let out a vicious roar to the heavens, and tendrils of lighting exploded across the grey sky.

When he looked back down, the red-hooded rider was looking back behind her... right up at _him_.

Hawkmoth's enhanced vision allowed him to see her pretty little face clear as day: scorn and courage were written all over it.

Then, Princess Marinette smirked and gave the king a two-fingered salute before turning back and racing down the main road with her companion.

Hawkmoth bared his teeth in anger, but all he could do was watch. He had spent too much of his energy on his fireballs, and his entire guard was in disarray.

So the king stared out at the shrinking figures of the princess and the other rider, even as the rest of the castle grounds burned away.

"I will find you, Ladybug," Hawkmoth growled with murderous resolve. "And when I do, you will be sorry you ever crossed paths with me!"


	20. 4:2: All is Not Lost

**PART 4:**

 _ **Chapter 2:**_

 _ **All is Not Lost**_

ADRIEN:

It's hopeless.

I feel like I've been running for ages, but I'm obviously not going anywhere. The tunnel just keeps getting longer. Every time I stop to catch my breath, the light up ahead shrinks further away.

Huh... Who knew you could be so exhausted while you're dreaming?

Meanwhile, Ladybug's voice fades into the distance. I don't want her to fade away. What if I never hear her again?

So I keep running. And running. And running.

And still I cannot reach her. I can never get close enough to the light.

Is this my punishment now? Is this the physical manifestation of my fears that will torment me for all eternity?

I stop once more, falling flat onto my knees upon the stones. I'm breathing hard... yet my heart still isn't beating. Because this isn't _me_ running – I am just a dream, much like this tunnel.

But this is _my_ dream, isn't it? So why can't I control anything in this place?

Then I realize... it's the curse. I may be the one sleeping, but this nightmare is not my own.

There's no winning this. No matter how hard I try, I will never be able to reach that light. I cannot save Ladybug, just like I couldn't save Nathalie or my parents... or even my friends, who are probably fighting Hawkmoth on their own by now.

I tried to be the hero my people needed; the king they deserved... and I couldn't even protect the ones I love most.

I pause and open my eyes, my conscience clearing.

 _Of course_ I couldn't protect them – not _all_ the time, anyway. I'm not a wizard or a fairy or a supreme deity. I'm only human. I only did as much as I could, to the best of my human abilities.

And more than once, the people I love were the ones protecting _me_ ; getting me back on my feet again, coming to my aid when I needed them most. The people I love _chose_ to fight, not because I needed them to, but because they _wanted_ to. They wanted to protect their own loved ones, or at least the ones they still had left. They didn't always succeed, obviously, but they had given it all they had.

It's at this moment that I realize... I can't protect everyone forever.

Maybe... Maybe I can learn to accept that now.

"Adrien..."

I gasp and snap back up. That voice... it's closer now!

"Ladybug?" I call.

There is a flash of orange light up ahead. I shield my face from the sudden flare. What's happening?

The light engulfs me.

* * *

Marinette winced from the blinding sunlight as she opened her eyes.

The clouds were shifting, and a tiny beam of golden warmth broke through the grey shroud to welcome the young princess to a brand new day. It wasn't enough to keep out the skin-prickling chill, but it eased Marinette's spirits all the same.

 _What a strange dream_ , she thought. She stretched out as best she could inside her blanket without exposing any part of her to the cold. _I could've sworn I heard Adrien, calling my name._

Some small part of the blunette wondered if people trapped in an eternal sleep could speak to other people in their dreams. Maybe Adrien was looking for her; fighting to find a way out. It made Marinette all the more determined to find him. _Hang in there_ , she prayed.

She was the first to rise and get the fire going. Eventually, Bridgette emerged from her bedroll, her longer hair and blanket sprinkled with snow. "You saved any of that rabbit from last night?" the elder princess asked with a yawn.

"Just the legs," Marinette replied as she prodded at the spitting fire pit. "I found some winterberries not far from here, too."

The two sisters ate breakfast in silence, soaking up the heat from the flames to prepare for the long, gruelling day ahead.

They had ridden out of Agreste yesterday as far as their horses would allow them. Then they made camp near the coastal part of the Enchanted Forest, on the edge of the Cerulean Sea. It was quite beautiful, even on the brink of winter. The salty-sweet air was surprisingly invigorating, and the sound of water sloshing on the shore soothed away Marinette's troubled thoughts.

The younger princess had explained everything to Bridgette the previous night, beginning from the day she left her wedding and leading up to the moment she felt Adrien's curse take effect. It made her shiver to go back to that moment in time, more so when she had described the details of it.

Now, as the sisters snuffed out the fire and loaded up their horses on the beach, there was plenty more chatter to go around. At least, on Bridgette's part there was.

"Once we get back to Dupain-Cheng," she explained as she stuffed her rolled-up blanket onto her horse, "you can debrief the royal council on your story. With everything that's happened with Chloe and Hawkmoth..."

Marinette knew this moment would come sooner or later. "I'm not going to Dupain-Cheng," she stated as she tightened the straps on her pack.

She could feel her sister's scrutinizing gaze at her back. "What? Why not?" Bridgette enquired. "Now that we have you back, we have no need to declare war... at least, for now."

Marinette looked her sister dead in the eye. "The war has already started, Bridge," she said. "As long as Hawkmoth is the King of Agreste, there will be no end to it..." Her brow furrowed with resolve. "...unless we strike back."

Bridgette's eyes went down and she shook her head. "Mari, we don't have enough resources or soldiers to strike back against an _entire_ heavily-armed Akuma army," she claimed.

"Not alone, we don't," Marinette said with a sly grin.

The heir to Dupain-Cheng blinked... and then understanding appeared on her face like a white mask. "Are you suggesting we forge an alliance... with our _enemies_?"

" _Chloe_ is our enemy," Marinette argued gently. "Bourgeois doesn't have to be. I'm positive Prince Theo will lend us his aid if we ask for it."

Bridgette raised an eyebrow. "No offence, but why would he want to help his ex-fiancée who left him at the altar?"

Marinette growled and placed her hands on her hips. "Look, I'm willing to take full responsibility for that, all right?" she said sharply. "But right now, the only way any of us will survive this is if all three kingdoms stand against Hawkmoth. Together."

" _Three_ kingdoms?" Bridgette repeated.

"I'm counting the people of Agreste."

Bridgette sighed. "Good luck getting _them_ to help us," she grumbled. "Most of them have no faith left in themselves to fight back. Those who are mad enough to try are either dead or scattered across the kingdom where we can't find them. Besides," the elder princess added more softly, "none of them will rise up without a leader."

A small smile appeared on Marinette's lips. "They have one," she insisted. "Adrien."

"Last I checked, you said he was under a sleeping curse."

"And last _I_ checked, I figured out a solution: fairy dust."

Bridgette's face crunched up with bewilderment, her head tilting to the side as though she didn't hear her sister right. "What?" she asked.

" _Golden_ fairy dust, to be more specific," Marinette answered casually.

"Wait..." Her older sister shook her head and blinked several times. "Are you serious?"

" _Very_ ," Marinette replied. "Adrien's used it before, and I've seen it work." She strode up to her sister eagerly, excitement flooding through her. "Bridge... it can undo _any_ evil curse, no matter how powerful it is. If I can get some of that dust, I can use it to wake up Adrien!" She smiled proudly. "And when the people of Agreste learn that their true king has returned, they will have a reason to hope again... and they _will_ fight with us. I just know it!"

Marinette couldn't figure out what was funnier: the fact that her plan was so perfect it was unbelievable, or the fact that Bridgette was looking at her like she had gone crazy.

Bridgette cleared her throat and held up her hands. "Okay, um... Mari, I love you to death, but... just... back up a bit," she stammered. "Let's say, hypothetically, there _is_ some kind of curse-breaking pixie dust..."

" _Fairy_ dust," Marinette corrected.

"My bad. I'm guessing you won't find it lying around just anywhere."

"Nope. I have to find a fairy called the golden queen. Adrien told me she has a shrine somewhere in the mountains."

There was nothing to be read on Bridgette's face now. "The mountains," she said emotionlessly. "As in... the _Forbidden_ Mountains beyond the forest."

Marinette knew _this_ was coming too, but she kept her tone firm as she replied, "Yes."

"No!" Bridgette's cry of shock was so loud it startled both their horses. "Marinette, I didn't break you out of an evil wizard's castle just to watch you go running into the most dangerous place in the entire realm!"

Marinette frowned at her sister, her elation turning into anger. "Did you not hear a single word I just said?" she snapped. "We can't win this fight without Adrien. If I don't do something to help him, he'll stay asleep forever. Venturing into those mountains is a risk I'll have to take."

Bridgette gave her look of surprise and hurt. "Is it worth risking your own life over?" she demanded in a heartbreaking tone. "Mari, you... you've done far too much already. If you keep pushing yourself like this, you could end up in a worse situation than Hawkmoth's castle. _Far_ worse."

"I don't care!" Marinette stated, her heated cheeks proof of the fire burning inside her. "I'm a big girl now, Bridgette. I know what's at stake here... and believe me, my life is _nothing_ compared to the lives of everyone that Hawkmoth has robbed!"

Her older sister stared at her with widened eyes – the same blue pools as Marinette's, but more calm and undisturbed compared to the shifting tides in her sister's eyes.

Then Bridgette said softly, "This isn't just about uniting the kingdoms and stopping Hawkmoth, is it?"

Marinette felt her eyes warm from rising tears, and she shook her head with shaky breath. "No, it's not," she replied as she inhaled deeply and affixed Bridgette with a look of genuine valour. "Please, Bridge... you have to trust me on this. Even if there was no chance of an alliance..." She paused for a moment to take another deep breath before continuing. "I could never live with myself again if I didn't try to save Adrien."

Bridgette glanced away towards the horizon, where the light sky and the dark sea touched each other. Then, after a moment, she turned back to her sister. "You love him." It wasn't a question.

Marinette nodded. "More than anything," she said, her voice threatening to break from the pressure in her throat. "That's why I have to go. Because that's what you do when you love someone: you go to whatever lengths to help them."

There was a moment of emotional silence.

Then Bridgette, to Marinette's surprise, starting giggling. "When we were young," she explained, "I asked you once, "What will you be when I am the queen?". And you said to me, "I'll be the hero that protects your kingdom"." The elder princess smiled warmly. "Now here you are, trying to be the hero of _all_ the kingdoms."

Marinette found herself giggling as well. She remembered the days back in Castle Dupain-Cheng when she and Bridgette would play dress-up and pretend to go on adventures. Because Bridgette was the heir to the throne, she was usually the one winning the hand of the make-believe prince and living happily ever after. Marinette would simply end the whole story by parading down the hallways cheering "Love live the Queen!".

But on some occasions, there would be a second prince in the story for Marinette to imagine herself with. _Everyone deserves a happy ending_ , Bridgette had once said.

Looking back now, Marinette realized just how little she knew about happy endings, or how far you had to go to achieve them. _The only way I'll ever get my own is to fight for it with everything I've got_ , she thought decisively.

Bridgette took a long time to gather her thoughts before she finally said to her younger sister, "If you think this plan will work, this yes... I trust you, Mari. And I'm coming with you."

Marinette had known _this_ was coming too. "Not so fast," she said, raising her hand. "There's something else I need you to do for me: go to the Enchanted Forest and find the cottage of the Seven Bandits."

"Bandits?" Bridgette said with apprehension.

"Good ones," Marinette insisted with an awkward grin. "Don't worry – they know me. Just tell them you're my sister and they'll help you." Her voice lowered into a more serious, princess-like pitch. "And when you get the chance, send word to Mama and Papa... and Prince Theo, and anyone else you can find. We're going to need all the help we can get."

The young princess could tell her sister was particularly reluctant about that plan. "I'd sleep a lot better if I stayed with you," Bridgette said.

Marinette shook her head. "With Hawkmoth hunting me down, you're the only person I know I can count on right now. And I can't bear the thought of putting you in further harm's way. Besides," she added with a smirk, "you've always been better at diplomacy than me."

Bridgette returned that smirk, albeit with a more heartfelt gaze.

The two sisters faced each other, looking more like one girl standing in front of a mirror (well, minus the fact that they wore different cloaks).

As one, Marinette and Bridgette grasped each other and embraced.

"May the wisdom of our ancestors guide you," Bridgette whispered into her sister's hair.

Marinette smiled and finished the second verse of the Dupain-Cheng pledge: "And may the strength of our people protect you."

They pulled apart, and suddenly Marinette saw their mother's proud face in place of Bridgette's. _I_ will _see my family again_ , she vowed, _and Adrien too._

Marinette mounted her horse in a heartbeat. As she prepared to set off, she felt Bridgette hovering by her feet.

"How are you going to find Adrien once you acquire the dust?" the elder princess asked.

"No idea," Marinette admitted, looking down at her sister with no regrets. "But it doesn't matter. We will always find each other."

Bridgette curled her mouth upward. "Do me a favour," she said. "Try not to be too much of a hero."

"Come on. I have to be better than you at _something_."

Bridgette let out a cough-like snigger and smacked the horse's rear. "Go already!" she laughed.

Marinette was still grinning from ear to ear as she headed westward along the beach, kicking up tracks of sand in her wake.

* * *

"Go already!" Chloe spat at the knight standing in front of her cell. "What do I look like, a pet in a menagerie? Stop drooling over me, you worthless hunk of tin!"

The armoured man said and revealed nothing as he took his leave, his cape fanning out behind him.

Chloe continued sulking in her corner and shot daggers at the tray of food the knight had left for her. She was beginning to doubt whether or not it was anything edible: a block of bread that had been cut at uneven angles, some bits of dried fruit that were too hideous to look at, a meshed blob of... _something_ that made Chloe's stomach churn, and a tiny tumbler of water.

 _They could have at least bothered to serve me wine_ , the queen thought irritably. _Water. It's like I'm some kind of low-class plebe!_

Three sunrises spent in this frozen dungeon. Three sunrises spent without a hot bath. Three sunrises spent wearing the same, wretched blue gown! Chloe would gladly strip herself of the oily, grimy thing just for a single glass of wine!

"Damn you, Theo!" she called into the decrepit cavern, as she usually did whenever she was bored. "Damn you and your pathetic ideals! Damn you and your treachery! Damn you! DAMN YOU!" Chloe rose, picked up the tray with both hands, and flung it with all her might at the door.

The resulting clang and the spill of the food made her feel better... just a little. _Maybe Theo heard that_ , Chloe thought with a sneer.

She was about to curl up back up in her corner... when she noticed something odd among the spoiled food.

It looked like a small green stone, like a bright, yellow-tinged emerald. It was covered with bits of mesh, which meant it had been buried inside the blob.

Which meant someone had deliberately put the stone there.

Chloe didn't want to touch the damn thing – it was covered with the nauseating goop – but the strange luster of the gem mesmerized her. That, _and_ she had a keen taste in jewels.

Using only her thumb and forefinger, Chloe lifted the stone off the ground and dropped it onto her filthy skirt. She wiped the little thing off feverishly before pulling it out, clean as a whistle... and far more beautiful, if Chloe did say so herself.

The queen hummed with a small smile. "Now where did _you_ come from, my little friend?" she asked. (Yes, she was talking to a rock – completely mental by now, I tell you.) "More importantly, why was someone so determined to sneak you into my cell?"

She had expected some sort of answer in one form or another. Just not in the blinding-flash-of-yellowish-green-light form.

Chloe shrieked and covered her eyes with her bare arm.

She felt the cold air around her suddenly turn warm, and the dirt beneath her feet change to solid, flat tile.

When Chloe opened her eyes, she was absolutely appalled. Not because she was no longer in the dungeons of Castle Bourgeois, but because... the intricate mirror hovering before her was so glamorous!

Although, it was far less appealing looking at her own reflection now: tangled, stringy hair hanging down like cobwebs, her skin smeared with grease and filth, her fingernails outlined with dirt in the seams, and her blue dress showing off creases and tears everywhere.

It was so depressing Chloe wanted to break down and cry. "Ridiculous!" she snapped, turning away dramatically from the mirror. "Absolutely ridiculous! I have never been so wronged in all my life!"

A cold voice spoke behind her, "I couldn't agree more."

Chloe's blue eyes snapped open, and her whole body snapped around.

Then she scowled at the person she saw standing at the head of a long dining table. A roaring fireplace sat behind him, the bright flames silhouetting his dark figure.

"Well, well, well," Chloe said slowly, her eyes twitching with anger. "If it isn't the mighty King of Agreste. How have you been, Hawkmoth? I'm only asking because I haven't seen you since... well, since you _abandoned me and left me to rot in my own dungeon!_ " Her tone rose so loudly her words could have blasted the walls apart.

Hawkmoth seemed unfazed by her outburst... or maybe his face always looked like that. Chloe could never tell.

The king merely grinned at her and swept into a low bow. "My humblest apologises, Your Majesty," he said innocently. "Please do not mistake my lack of attendance during your brother's usurpation as my abandoning you. I was merely in the process of completing our deal when my stepson and his pitiful lackeys stormed into your castle. By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late for me to intervene."

Chloe didn't know whether she should laugh or growl at him. "You ungrateful liar," she snarled. "You think I don't know what happened after that traitor of a brother tossed me into that horrible cell?" She raised her chin proudly. "Well, I know everything, _Mothy_. You stole my prisoner away _before_ the deal was concluded, all so you could lure Prince Adrien into a trap and kill him. You never gave a damn about _me_ , or _my_ interests! You just used me and then dumped me like some cheap toy!"

Once again, the Sorcerer King didn't react to her words. In fact, he seemed more focused with brushing a speck of dust off his nice, clean, purple vest. Or straightening his gloves. Or rearranging a piece of cutlery on the table.

 _Is he even listening to me?_ Chloe thought seething. "Are you even _listening_ to me?!" she voiced out loud.

"It seems princesses aren't as gracious as they appear," Hawkmoth replied in a bored manner. "I would have thought that, considering how I just freed you from a life of incarceration, you'd be a little more appreciative. Perhaps _this_ will cheer you up a bit."

He snapped his fingers, and Chloe _literally_ went up in purple smoke.

She coughed and waved her hands around to try and fan the stuff away. "What in the world are you...?!" she began, until she opened her eyes and saw that she was... clean.

Not just clean... but flawless! Chloe spun back to the floating mirror and gasped. Her golden, shimmering hair was tied back up into a bun. Her face was as smooth and soft as flower petals. Her eyes and lips were painted and her cheeks rouged. Her fingernails were so clean they were like those of a newborn babe!

And her dress... By the gods, Chloe couldn't remember it being so lush and crease-free and fabulous! She even had her jewelry back!

It was all so uplifting Chloe wanted to break down and cry anyway. Instead, she glanced back warily at Hawkmoth.

The king smiled – though it had a bit of a chill to it – and beckoned to the seat at the end of the dining table. "Please," he said. "You must be hungry."

That made Chloe a little less wary and she followed the table down before taking her assigned seat. A large platter concealed by a large lid lay on the table in front of her.

To her surprise, Hawkmoth reached over and lifted the lid himself. "I hope you don't might poached eggs," he said.

Chloe's eyes were almost as wide as the eggs on her plate. Her mouth watered as she beheld strips of black bacon, rich bread pasted with honey and cinnamon, and a bowl of freshly-cut, glistening fruit. There was also a goblet adorned with red jewels. And that drink Hawkmoth was pouring into it now... Yes! It _was_ wine!

The young queen went for the goblet first and downed its contents in one go. The wine burned her throat and made her shudder when she came up for air... but it was worth it! Hawkmoth only grinned and refilled it without a word.

He kept watching her as she dug into her feast. Chloe could feel his eyes glancing over her, and she knew he wanted something. What it was, she had no idea. But she wasn't going to waste a single second wondering until her royal appetite was sated.

Unsurprisingly, Hawkmoth made no attempt to speak to her. He seemed quite content with letting her eat in silence first. All he really did was pull up an empty chair and help himself to the wine, but other than that, the king remained impassive.

When she couldn't finish another bite of egg, Chloe dabbed her mouth with her napkin and leaned back in her chair, sighing with pure satisfaction, her mind buzzing from her overconsumption of wine. Only then did she look Hawkmoth in the eye and finally speak.

"All right," she said as her regal demeanour returned. "I suppose I _do_ owe you a thank-you. But don't think I'm a simpleton or anything. You're spoiling me only because you want something from me. You _have_ done so before, if I recall."

Hawkmoth smirked at her, the lines on his mask deepening with pleasure. "You are quite clever, Chloe," he praised in a silky tone, "and you are wise not to trust me. But I assure you, my intentions are the same as yours. Only this time I am granting you something worth more to you than gold or reputation."

"Oh?" Chloe raised a sultry eyebrow. "And what would that be, exactly?"

"Revenge," the king purred. "Particularly, the kind you would enact upon the one person you hate the most; the girl who ruined your life from the very beginning." Hawkmoth traced the lip of his own goblet. "Your ex-sister-in-law, Princess Marinette."

Chloe rolled her eyes with a sneer. "As enticing as that sounds," she said in a clearly-disinterested tone, "why would I waste my time getting revenge on that polka-dotted bitch when I can just sit back and watch her rot away in a dungeon cell? No less a fate than what _I_ was sentenced to."

Hawkmoth lowered his goblet onto the table with a _clink_. "Why indeed," he mused, though Chloe could see his ice-coloured eyes deepening with annoyance. "Unfortunately, there is a slight dilemma regarding our mutual enemy."

He snapped his fingers again, and the magic mirror appeared between the king and his guest.

Chloe watched with a parted mouth as the glass surface revealed a moving picture of a young, red-cloaked woman on horseback.

The young queen's eyes widened. "She escaped?" she fumed at Hawkmoth. "From _you_?!"

"A flaw I intend to rectify with _extreme_ prejudice," the Sorcerer King claimed darkly. "Ladybug intends to free her beloved prince from his curse of sleeping death. If she manages to acquire a certain magic fairy dust, there's a good chance she might succeed."

Chloe couldn't help but grin in the wake of his failure. "Unless _I_ hunt her down and stop her," she finished for him. "Is that it? You break me out of prison and I repay your kindness by taking Marinette out for you?" She threw her head back and laughed. The alcohol in her blood made her feel bold. "What's the matter, _Mothy_? Don't have the balls to kill one measly little princess all by yourself? Then again, you couldn't even face your own stepson."

 _WHOOSH!_

The golden-haired woman felt her bones turn frigid as a shadowy gust of wind blew through the dining hall, nearly snuffing out the great fire behind her. All the while, dark patches appeared on Hawkmoth's silver face, as though he were transforming into a monster before Chloe's very eyes. It made her cringe and turn as white as a sheet.

"Don't mock me, child," the king said in a deep, growling voice that was not his own. "I have my reasons for holding back against Adrien, and none of them are of any consequence to you."

Chloe didn't lower her guard as the wind died down and the room filled with warmth and light once again.

Hawkmoth stood and straightened his attire before he walked around Chloe's chair, his cane tapping hard on the tile. "As for Marinette," he said in a tone that was softer but no less feral, "I would prefer killing her myself for all the grief she has caused me. However, given your current predicament, I feel that you of all people deserve the honour of destroying her."

The king stopped on the other side of Chloe, then turned around and went around her chair again. All the while, Chloe listened more intently than before.

"After all," Hawkmoth continued with a hint of pity, "if Marinette had only fulfilled your wishes, Bourgeois would have had a share in Dupain-Cheng's wealth and resources. Your father's _untimely death_ would have been an unsolved mystery. And _you_ , my dear, would have ruled as queen without any opposition. Now, all of your plans have been reduced to rubble, your dreams squandered, and your birthright swiped from under your feet by your own flesh and blood."

Chloe could feel the weight of the king's gaze on her, and she almost wanted to shrink in her seat. But his words left a heavier weight on her heart... and she realized that Hawkmoth was right. All of that never would have happened if Marinette had not run away to find her _true love_. Chloe glanced back at the princess in the mirror, her envy and hatred burning up inside her like embers igniting a dry bush.

Hawkmoth paused right behind Chloe and placed two hands on her shoulders. "You went to great lengths to ensure your grip on the throne," he insisted. Then he leaned closer and whispered in the blonde woman's ear, "Tell me, _Queen_ Chloe, is there anything you wouldn't do to ensure that the girl who destroyed your happiness never finds her own happy ending?"

Chloe could feel her own face darkening. She had warned Marinette what would happen if she tried to live her petty fairytale dream, but that snivelling selfish Lady- _brat_ had ignored her. And now, instead of mourning the loss of her precious Cat Noir, she was actually trying to _save_ him?!

 _She thinks she can_ still _get her happy ending, and_ I _can't?!_

For Chloe, the choice was simple. "What do I have to do?" she asked Hawkmoth.

"Come," the king said with a pleased smile. "Let me show you my favourite garden."

* * *

The atrium sprung to life as Chloe and Hawkmoth entered.

At first, the young queen thought she had stumbled into a dream. Glowing blue butterflies fluttered about her like stars against the backdrop of dark glass.

"Beautiful, are they not?" Hawkmoth asked as he beckoned towards one of the strange insects with his hand. "My colony of akumas never ceases to amaze me."

Chloe was busy poking at one of the butterflies. Then she turned to the king curiously. "Akumas... Like your Akuma Guards?" she asked him.

Hawkmoth nodded and explained, "These butterflies allow me to bestow ordinary people with incredible strength, speed and cunning." One of the little things landed right in the king's open palm, and he grinned. "All it takes is a little magical boost from my Dark Amethyst."

He covered the butterfly with his other hand and Chloe saw something small and purple glowing brightly and sending strings of light down his arms.

 _Well... amethyst is certainly his colour_ , the queen admitted.

When Hawkmoth opened his hands, the butterfly had changed from radiant blue to menacing black with lightning-like veins of purple.

Chloe watched as the king held it out in front of her for the queen to see. "So... _this_ is how you give your army their powers," she figured out absent-mindedly, her interest fully piqued.

Hawkmoth nodded, the purple light from his brooch leaving shadows on his face as he grinned. "Imagine: you imbued with the gifts of a mighty huntress, more powerful than anything you have ever felt in your life. And I might even throw in a little magical surprise into the mix – something that Marinette will never expect."

Could one, innocuous little insect grant such extraordinary abilities?

"And... I'll be able to defeat her?" Chloe asked hopefully. "I'll be stronger than her? I could... do _magic_?" The very word sent a jolt of wicked excitement through the queen.

"You'll be the destroyer of princesses;" Hawkmoth replied, "the vanquisher of true love; the bane of Ladybug. You'll be..." He thought for a moment and then smiled amusedly. " _Antibug_."

Chloe could already feel the pulsing power from the butterfly, as though it was calling out to her, begging her to take it.

 _The bane of Ladybug..._

"Yes," Chloe hissed, her smile stretching. "I'll make her squirm at my feet like the wretched little bug she is. I'll make her cry and beg for mercy, but she will not get any." She glanced up at Hawkmoth with sadistic pleasure. "If _this_ will allow me to crush Marinette's last hope, then I'm your Antibug."

"Good," Hawkmoth purred. "Then let's defeat Ladybug together... my ruthless, warrior queen. My Antibug."

The akuma fluttered off of his hand and shot straight for Chloe's chest.

She felt a strange sensation overtake her, like a body cast of black mud. It seeped into her skin, her blood, her bones, and her heart.

And just like that, a new power emerged within her. She felt like she could lift this entire castle off its foundations. Her senses awakened and overwhelmed her. She could hear Hawkmoth's heart beat, taste the butterflies' magic on her tongue...

She clenched her fingers, and was surprised at how much grasping strength she had in those dainty little fingers. It made her wonder how far she could pull back a bowstring, or how quickly she could snap a person's neck with one hand.

It was such a stimulating notion that she laughed.

Soon she was joined by the Sorcerer King, and their cackling reverberated off the glass dome of the atrium, making the whole chamber shake.

Yes! _This_ is what true power was!

Queen Chloe of Bourgeois was gone.

Now, there was only Antibug, the huntress of death!

Ladybug's final doom!


	21. 4:3: A Golden Opportunity

**PART 4:**

 _ **Chapter 3:**_

 _ **A Golden Opportunity**_

ADRIEN:

I open my eyes, and I see nothing.

Strange. Why did I chase down that shaft of light only to emerge in total darkness?

I can feel the ground – hard as rock, but smooth and thin. Everywhere I walk, my footsteps echo around me.

If only I had something to light my –

Oh!

A torch appears before me, flaring to light with orange flame. I grasp it. I turn it this way and that, looking for something.

Nothing. But at least I can see now.

I walk cautiously through the expanse. My steps and the rippling of the torch are the only sounds I hear. No voices. No screams.

I stop and call out, "Ladybug!"

Big surprise – still nothing.

Wait... A face appears in front of me, drawing closer. Finally – someone to talk to!

Hold on a second... that's... that's _my_ face! And _my_ head, attached to _my_ body, holding _my_ torch.

I'm looking into a mirror.

I back away, but then I bang into something cool and firm. I turn around to see another reflection of myself. I look to my left, and then my right. I now see eight astounded faces of me holding eight glistening torches. I am surrounded by a wall of mirrors.

But why? What are they trying to tell me?

I glance over each and every one of them. They all bear my perplexed expression...

...except the last one.

I see myself grinning, but it is a twisted grin that I find very daunting. My chin is dipped, and I glance up at myself – or rather, _he_ glances up at _me_ – with piercing green eyes that speak of cunning and cruelty.

I raise my hand towards it. The reflection doesn't copy me. Instead, he laughs. Do I really laugh like that, so cold and insensitive?

I narrow my gaze at my reflection. "Who are you?" I ask.

He smirks. "Isn't it obvious?" he purrs. "I'm _you_ , Adrien. Or rather, the you you're _supposed_ to be."

I scrunch my face with confusion, and I'm almost afraid to ask. "Are you saying you're... a part of me?"

" _Now_ you're catching on," the reflection says with a sneer. "I'm the piece of your heart that you've been keeping at bay for a long time. That is, until Hawkmoth cracked you open and set me free."

Suddenly, I know. "You're me... when I was turned into an Akuma," I deduce.

"Bravo again, Your Highness," my dark self jeers. "Though I don't see why I'm congratulating you at all." A scowl appears on his face. "Seeing as it's your fault we're both stuck here."

I can't help but smile proudly. "Can't say I'm sorry," I tell him. "I only did what I had to do."

My Akuma groans with disgust, his eyes cast upward. "There is it again: the self-righteousness, the compassion, the valour. It makes me sick!" He glares at me through the mirror with unadulterated hate. "If you hadn't been so weak and pathetically in love, neither of us would be trapped in this curse! All you had to do was kidnap Ladybug, and instead you let her go... only for her to get captured again and used against you!"

I meet my reflection's gaze with one of unwavering focus. "Hawkmoth wanted me to kill her!" I shout, my voice ringing along the mirrors. "But I would rather suffer a thousand years of torment than let anything happen to her!"

My Akuma raises his head and laughs so freakishly loud that I step back.

"Listen to yourself!" he chortles at me. "What good are you to Ladybug now that you're asleep? What reason would Hawkmoth have to keep her alive now that _you're_ out of the way? Don't you see? You've accomplished _nothing_!"

I stare at him, refusing to back down. "Like _you_ did any better."

My dark self frowns, his eyes sharp as daggers. "I may be forced to spend an eternity down here," he says, "but at least I can take solace in the fact that you will never escape this place either."

He steps towards me... and moves right through the mirror as though it were made of water!

I gasp and back away as my Akuma emerges fully into the ring of mirrors – just as full and real as I am.

"And who knows?" he says as he grips his own blazing torch in both hands, the light enhancing his wicked sneer. "I might even get to kill you for good this time."

* * *

After several days of riding through the Enchanted Forest, Marinette finally arrived at the Troll Bridge by the fourth night.

It had not changed a bit since last she saw it. The only major difference between now and then was the undisturbed layer of snow upon the cobblestones and the leaf-less trees that stood on the other side of the chasm. The pale moon above was enough to light up the snow and allow Marinette to see.

 _I can't believe this is where Adrien and I fought Stoneheart_ , Marinette mused to herself as she observed the entire area. _I never would have made it out of here alive if it weren't for him._

It seemed like ages ago when last she had been to this bridge. The Marinette who had been here then was so different from the Marinette who came here now. For one thing, the princess felt braver, wiser, and more determined to follow what she believed to be right in her heart.

For another thing, last time she had been trying to save an emerald ring. Now she was trying to save something far more precious.

Marinette reached into her pocket and pulled out the ring. The green jewel shone brightly against the silver in the moonlight.

The blunette still found it amusing that she had been able to conceal it on her person during her capture at the hands of Chloe. Apparently, the Bourgeois guards hadn't been too nitpicky about her under-things when they forced her to wear the white chemise. Besides, there was no way Marinette was going to let Chloe get her hands on this ring.

 _I promised Papa I would give it to the man I would fall in love with_ , Marinette thought as she pulled off her glove and slipped the huge thing on her thumb. _And that's exactly what I'm going to do... once I wake Adrien up, of course._

Marinette urged the horse onward.

But then, her mare gave a sharp whinny and ground to a halt.

The princess inched over at the creature. "Come on," she cooed, giving the horse a gentle nudge on the side. "There's nothing to be afraid of. Just over this bridge and back into the woods, okay?"

The mare snorted, as though she didn't like that idea, but apparently Marinette's words of comfort were enough to convince her. She trotted onward, albeit more slowly and cautiously.

But the moment they reached the other side of the chasm; the moment the horse and her rider stepped off the Troll Bridge... everything changed.

It felt like a veil had been lifted from Marinette's eyes.

Instead of snow on the ground, there was soft grass and dirt along with a wide range of flowers that seemed to give off their own light. Vibrant petals of pink, blue, purple, and yellow lit up the forest floor, and tiny buzzing specks flew around them like glowing bees.

The air was much warmer now, even at night. Marinette could feel the humidity thaw her red cheeks, and there were sweet scents in the air: lavender, lemons, mint and seawater.

Up above in the forest canopy, waves of leaves danced along the wind. Hovering lights appeared and disappeared everywhere Marinette looked, as though they could sense her watching them. They reminded the princess of twinkling stars, but in all the colours of the rainbow.

And... Was that music in the distance?

Marinette closed her eyes and listened. It sounded like singing; like soft, melodic voices coming together to perform a vocal orchestra. It made her sigh... from sadness, from relief, from happiness, from love. There were too many emotions to keep track of. It was like the music had awakened everything Marinette ever felt in her lifetime.

It certainly made her horse feel less jittery. The black mare paused and listened as well, completely forgetting that she had a rider with her.

Marinette smiled. "All right," she said as she swung her leg up and over. "We'll stop for the night."

This time, the princess didn't bother to light a fire. It was so warm now that she had to remove her red, spotted cloak because she was getting sweaty. And besides, she wanted to stare at the glowing lights of the forest.

Could this be the edge of the fairy kingdom? Had she passed into another world where spring lasted forever and magic thrived in every leaf, rock and stone?

 _Adrien never told me about any of_ this, Marinette thought with a pout as she snuggled into her bedroll. _I'll have to berate him for it later._

That being said, the princess knew she was in the right place. _If this is where all the fairies are_ , she thought as she drifted off to sleep, _then this is where I'll find the golden queen._

Her dreams were filled with starlight and music... and as she danced away, she felt Adrien's arms wrap around her. But when she turned around to face him, he was gone.

* * *

When morning came, Marinette woke to the sound of two voices crying out not far from her:

"Help! Somebody!" a high-pitched voice, like that of a small girl, squealed.

"Get us out here!" the second one – far raspier and definitely boyish – shrieked.

Marinette scrambled up, scooped up her bow and quiver, and ran towards the source of the disturbance.

She already had an arrow ready when she rounded a massive tree and saw three miniature, shrivelled figures playing with a tiny lantern being lifted above them by a rope over a tree branch. The creatures were the size of toddlers, but they had big feet and hands, long pointed ears, and bulbous noses. Their skin was hideously pale with patches of brown, green and yellow.

Marinette almost reeled at the sight of these creatures. They were obviously not human... so what were they? And why were they laughing and poking at that lantern?

It wasn't until the princess crept closer when she saw the two tiny figures trapped inside the lantern. No bigger than Marinette's palm, they had enormous heads and wee little bodies. One of them was red with large black polka dots bright blue eyes. The other was entirely black with pointed ears and cat-like, green eyes.

A ladybug and a black cat? How... strangely coincidental.

The black one hissed at the three hideous thugs below them. "Buzz off, you buzzards!" he shouted in the raspy voice Marinette recognised from before. "Don't make me get my claws out!"

One of the shrunken things waved his fingers at him. "Ooooohhh," he said creepily. "The little fairy has the heart of a lion. Scary!"

His partners laughed.

Marinette's mouth fell open. Did he just say... _fairy_?

"Leave him alone, you big ugly brute!" the little red creature shouted in her squeaky voice.

The gremlin leader banged the lantern with a stick, causing the two little fairies to jitter and fall over in their spots. "Or what, Bugzy?" he sniggered. "You ain't usin' your magic as long as you're inside that lantern."

"Yeah!" the second one affirmed with a voice that sounded like he was plugging his nose. He was the one holding the rope that lowered or raised the lantern. "Whatcha gonna do? _Glow_ your way out?"

They all started laughing again, and Marinette didn't like the sound of it one bit.

"Hit 'em with the stick again!" the third one with a girly voice urged.

The leader bopped the lantern several times, making the red and black fairies cry out and cover their ears.

Marinette had seen enough. "Hey!" she shouted.

All three ugly heads turned to face her, looking confused.

Meanwhile, the two fairies gasped upon seeing Marinette – not out of fear, but of astonishment.

The princess glared down at the gremlins like they were rotten little children. "Didn't your mothers ever teach you to play nice with others?" she asked.

The second gremlin blinked at her incredulously. "What in the world is _that_?" he said out loud.

"I dunno," the leader said with a scowl, "but it's ug-ga-ly."

The third gremlin cocked his head at Marinette. "Try poking her – see what happens."

The princess raised her bow and nocked an arrow at them. "Don't even think about it," she said with a smirk.

The gremlins cried out, their beady eyes bulging. They all tried backing away as fast as they could, but ended up stumbling and tripping over each other. In the chaos, the one holding the rope let it slip... and the lantern fell to the earth with a tiny thud, taking the startled fairies with it.

"Okay, okay, okay!" the gremlin leader pleaded fearfully, raising his huge hands at Marinette as she stepped closer to the lantern. "We get your point! We're backing up!"

"Backing up! Backing up!" the second one repeated again and again as he followed his partner's lead.

"It was just a joke!" the third one squealed as he turned tail and ran.

The other two followed him and practically trampled over the green foliage as they raced away like their lives depended on it.

Marinette waited until the creatures' frantic cries faded completely before lowering her bow. Then she approached the lantern and picked it up very carefully.

The two fairies inside groaned and blinked up at the princess as she ripped open the latch. Once they were free, they both swirled up into the air and hovered beside her.

"Aw, yeah!" the black cat cheered. "That's what I'm talking about!" He turned to the spot where the gremlins had vanished and called out, "That's right... you better run! Next time you pull a stunt like that, you're going to have to go through _my_ friend... uh..." The fairy leaned over to Marinette and whispered. "Hey, kid, what's your name again?"

The princess tried to hold back her giggling as the red, bug-like fairy flew up in her companion's face.

"Oh, knock it off, Plagg," she scolded. "They can't hear you anyway." She sighed and spun around to face Marinette with adorable cute eyes. "Please excuse my friend here. He can be very boisterous when he wants to be."

Marinette smiled at them both. She had never seen a real fairy before – much less _two_ – and they were definitely not what she expected. "Are you two all right?" she asked. "Those... _things_ didn't hurt you, did they?"

"The goblins?" the red fairy asked. Then she giggled. "Of course not! They were just being a bunch of bullies."

"Yeah," the black fairy named Plagg grumbled, his cat-like slits thinning with irritation. "They like to chase us, catch us, and treat us like their pets." He snarled and folded his arms. "Stupid, pointy-eared bastards – all of them!"

"Wait... _all_ of them?" Marinette repeated. "There are _more_ goblins out here than just those three?"

"More than you can imagine, sweetheart," Plagg replied. "Believe me; you'll sleep better not knowing."

"On the bright side," the red fairy said, "they're easily fooled... and startled." She winked at Marinette with a giggle and flew over to her. "Thanks for helping us, by the way. I'm Tikki, and this airhead with ears is Plagg."

The cat fairy bowed. "Nice to meet ya."

Marinette dipped her head with a smile. "I'm...um... Marinette," she finally said, deciding that it was too risky to let slip that she was a princess. "Just Marinette... from... nowhere."

Plagg cocked an eyebrow at her. "Well, "Just Marinette" from the land of "Nowhere"," he said with a sly grin, "what's a pretty human like you doing this far out in the Enchanted Forest?"

"Are you lost?" Tikki asked curiously. "If you like, we can guide you back to the border. It's the least we can do."

"Actually," Marinette quickly said, "I came here looking for someone. Do either of you know anything about a fairy called the golden queen?"

"Huh?!" Tikki and Plagg blurted out in unison. They exchanged a perplexed glance before turning back to the human.

"Why would you want to find _her_?" Tikki asked with annoyance.

"Yeah, if you ask me, she's worse than those goblins," Plagg remarked.

Marinette glanced between them. "Is... Is she really that bad?" It unnerved her to think that the one fairy she needed so badly to find was actually someone no other fairy liked.

Tikki noticed her disheartened expression and her large blue eyes softened. "Well... no, she's not _entirely_ bad," she admitted. "She's just very cranky... and rude."

"And she's got a sore spot for humans," Plagg noted.

Marinette blinked at him. "Why?" she enquired.

The cat fairy shrugged and fiddled with his paws.

So Tikki answered for him. "Apparently, the last human who visited stole some of her magical wishing dust," she said.

The princess's eyes brightened. "That was Adrien!" she exclaimed. "He came here looking for a cure for his mother's curse!"

Tikki cocked her head at Marinette. "So you know him? Is he here too?"

Marinette's smile faltered and her eyes fell. "No," she murmured. "Actually... he's the reason why I'm here. You see..." She twirled her fingers together and glanced back up at the two fairies. "I need the golden queen's dust to save Adrien from a sleeping curse."

Tikki gasped and covered her mouth. "That's awful!"

Even Plagg looked a little sullen, his ears drooping. "Gee... and I actually liked that kid," he admitted with a pang. "In fact, I'm the one who helped him steal the dust."

"Aha!" Tikki announced, pointing her stubby hand at her companion. "I knew it!"

"Hold on a minute, Tikki," Marinette advised. "I want to hear what he has to say." She looked over at Plagg. "Why _did_ you help Adrien?"

The cat fairy hung his large head down with a heavy sigh. "You might find this hard to believe," he said, "but I wasn't always a fairy. I was just an ordinary cat... and Adrien was my owner."

Marinette's face perked up with interest. "Really?"

"Uh-huh. I had a pretty good life – lived in a castle, all the delicious camembert I could eat, the whole sha-bang." Plagg's voice softened as he went on, "But then, about a year ago, Adrien's stepfather took over, and when the guards came and raided his room, I had no choice but to escape."

Tikki looked guilty now. "You never told me about any of that," she said.

"Would you have believed me?" Plagg asked her.

Tikki shrugged. "If you weren't so rambunctious from the start, I might have."

"So what happened?" Marinette asked Plagg. "After you escaped Castle Agreste, I mean."

The cat fairy extended his paws to indicate the forest. "I ended up all the way out here," he said. "I was hungry, so I found a really fat, glowing mushroom to chow down. Next thing I know – _poof_!" He twirled around and lifted his chin proudly. "I'm a handsome fairy."

Tikki snorted. "That's probably around the time I met him," she said. "He was so clueless about the fairy world that I had to practically babysit him day and night."

"Hey!" Plagg whined.

Marinette smirked and then asked, "Did Adrien know who you were when he came through here?"

Plagg shook his head sadly. "Nah. I didn't have the heart to tell him. But I didn't want him to fail in his quest. His mother, Queen Vivienne, had always been really kind to me when I lived at the castle. So... yeah, I helped him steal the golden fairy dust." He frowned. "But only because Goldilocks wouldn't let him have it, no matter how hard he begged."

Tikki sighed. "Which probably means she won't let _you_ have the dust either, Marinette," she told the princess with a heavy heart. "It will take a miracle to convince her otherwise."

Marinette smiled with resolve. "Then I'll give her miracle," she said. "Nothing is going to stop me from getting that dust and saving Adrien. So where do I find her shrine?"

" _Her_ shrine?" Plagg laughed. "There's only one Fairy Shrine in this entire land, and it's supposed to belong to all fairy-kind. Goldilocks just likes to pretend it's hers."

Tikki rolled her eyes smiling. "But if you're really sure about your decision," she said to Marinette cheerily, "then Plagg and I can show you where the Shrine is!"

"Bwah?!" Plagg blurted out, his fanged mouth wide open. "Me? I'm not going back there! Goldie will skin me for sure, or worse – turn me back into a cat!"

"Fine, then Tikki will show me," Marinette asserted firmly. "But I would really appreciate it if you came along too, Plagg. There's so much about this place that I don't know about... and who better to help me ease my way into it than someone who's been in the same position I'm in now?"

Tikki grinned over at Plagg. "She has a point," she sang.

The cat fairy stared blankly at the red fairy. Then Marinette. Then Tikki again. Then the princess again.

Finally he smiled and said, "You're pretty sneaky, "Just Marinette from Nowhere" – I like you." He flew up the blunette. "Fine, I'll help, but on one condition: I go back to the human world with you, and you get me a big slice of camembert."

Marinette laughed. "I think I can arrange that," she said.

"Whoo-hoo!" Plagg cheered, soaring around the princess. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go get some dust! Come on, slowpokes!" He then zoomed into the trees faster than a dragonfly.

Tikki rolled her eyes as she floated beside Marinette. "I hope you realize what you're getting yourself into," she warned playfully.

The princess smirked. "Oh, don't worry, Tikki," she said as she went off to find her horse. "Plagg's not the first crazy cat I've had to deal with."

* * *

ADRIEN:

Only one thing comes clear to me: I can't fight myself. Even if that _self_ is an evil, twisted maniac that keeps lashing out at me with a burning torch.

But I can't evade him either. I may not exactly be awake, but I can already feel fatigue starting to set in.

Nothing I try is working. Every time I dodge, block or hit my Akuma, he just keeps coming back at me, stronger than ever.

The flaming end of his torch comes within a hair's width of my face, practically singeing my cheek. I leap back, but I collide with one of the mirrors trapping me in this ring with my wicked doppelganger. Each glass panel reflects my startled face and my enemy's amused sneer.

Well, except for the mirror my Akuma emerged from. It sits just inches to my left. It keeps distorting itself, like a puddle on a rainy day. It was almost as if the mirror knew my reflection had left it... and it wanted him back.

I lift up my torch just in time as my opponent swings at me.

He knocks my only weapon clean out of my hands. It clatters to the ground, the fire going out with a choked stutter.

Grinning mad, my Akuma charges me.

I grab onto his torch with both hands, but he still manages to press my body against the glass wall. Not a single crack or dent appears.

I try to throw my Akuma off of me, but it's no use. The torch handle lodges itself against my throat, and now I can barely breathe. I can feel the searing heat of the burning end pulsing against my face, threatening to scorch me alive.

Then, my Akuma pushes me with amazing strength. I slide and screech along the glass... towards the rippling mirror.

I realize now what he's doing, and I struggle harder.

He finally stops and holds me firm along the edge of the shimmering glassy waves. I grit my teeth and desperately try to lift the torch away from my neck. Everything feels distorted now. Flames start dancing everywhere.

"What did I tell you?" my Akuma snarls wickedly. "You're weak. You can't even face your own demons without needing to be rescued. Well, too bad, _Your Highness_. No one's coming to save you this time. Not your father, not your friends... and not your pretty little princess."

I pant heavily, but I'm unable to glare at my dark self. All I can do now is talk. "You're right," I wince. "That's the test, isn't it? If I can't beat the darkness inside me, then I have no chance of beating the darkness out there in the real world." I try to glance at him in my peripheral vision. "But now I realize... I don't _need_ to beat my darkness. I just can't... let it destroy who I am really am."

My Akuma laughs. "You truly are our father – noble to the bitter end," he scoffs. "But your philosophical banter won't do you any good. Now you'll be trapped down here in the dark, just like I was. And do you want to know the best part?" He leans right into my ear and whispers, "If by some miracle you actually _do_ wake up, it won't be _you_ back in your body. It will be _me_... and Ladybug will be all _mine_!"

I don't know what comes over me, or what sort of hidden reserve of strength finally bursts open and floods through my veins.

But the next thing I know, I'm reaching over blindly and grabbing the back of my Akuma's head.

With a tooth-grinding yell, I pull him towards the burning end of the torch. I hear a soft bang of skin upon metal, followed by a loud sizzling hiss.

My Akuma shrieks in agony and leaps back, and the pressure on my neck fades. I gasp and sag against the glass wall as the torch falls to the ground.

I look up at my ailing doppelganger. He's hunched over, covering his smoking face with his hands.

Without waiting for him to retaliate, I launch off the wall and grab both his shoulders. Then, I fling him behind me... straight into the distorted mirror.

His startled cry is cut off as the glass swallows him whole. Then, like the calm after a raging storm, the surface settles and flattens.

I stare at my evil reflection – now back where he belongs – as he snaps towards me.

I nearly wince.

Instead of being covered with red scorch marks, the pasty skin on my Akuma's face cracks and peels away, revealing a glowing layer of bright purple underneath.

Now I remember: Stoneheart had a purple vein in his leg. Underneath all that armour, there was all that dark magic.

And now, I had just unveiled that same magic within my own Akuma.

His vicious green eyes suddenly change to purple, but I can see panic within them. Horror, even. "You..." he stammers with a cracked voice. "You can't get rid of me! You _are_ me!"

I straighten and my own face softens with pity and resolution. "No," I retort. "I am who I want to be."

At that moment, the mirror cracks. Veins appear and break off in all directions along the surface like branches.

My Akuma gapes at me through the broken glass, and then he lets out a blood-curdling, "NOOO!"

The mirror shatters... along with the rest of the wall.

I shield my face from the explosion, feeling the sharp grains nipping at me as they disperse.

Then... all is deathly-quiet.

When I remove my arm, there is now total darkness surrounding me once more. No torch or light or mirror to be seen – just an endless expanse of shadow.

I sigh. I'm right back where I started. Again.

Wait... There's something warm in my pocket. I reach in, grasp something long and bulgy, and pull it out.

My eyes go wide. It's Ladybug's lucky charm!

Had that really been in my pocket the whole time? Or was it just another illusionary figment of this nightmare world?

Well, for one thing, the large jade stone had never emitted a warm green light before.

Curious, I turn to the left, holding out the charm in front of me. The light fades and the stone grows cold.

I turn back to the right. The stone brightens and becomes warmer... as though _this_ was the direction it wanted me to go.

I smile with renewed hope. Though I know it's crazy, I can't help but think that my lady is with me right now, guiding me out of this nightmare... and back to her.

So, with a confident stride, I follow the pulsing light.

* * *

It was midday by the time Marinette, Tikki and Plagg reached the bottom of the Forbidden Mountains.

This time, the princess's horse absolutely refused to go any further, leaving Marinette no choice but leave her behind and go the rest of the way on foot.

"The other fairies will look after her," Tikki assured Marinette. "They love animals. It's humans they're shy around."

Marinette couldn't argue with that. During the trip, she had caught sight of some funny shapes and heads peering out of the bushes at her before whisking away in a flurry of sparkles. Marinette wished she could talk to them, to tell them that she didn't mean any harm.

But Plagg had told her not to worry about it. "They'll figure it out eventually," he explained, "especially once they learn how you scared off a bunch of goblins. Any enemy of theirs is an honorary friend of the fairies."

Now the princess and her two tiny companions made their way up the mountain slope. The higher they went, the rockier and more unsteady it became. Marinette had to manoeuvre her way along a steep edge, keeping her hands on the stone wall while she shimmied her way across. Thankfully, Tikki and Plagg remained at her side, occasionally pushing up against her back or pulling on her arms to give her a boost.

"Why can't you just use your magic to fly me to the top?" Marinette asked once she reached the other side safe and sound.

"Fairy magic doesn't work that way," Tikki said regrettably. "It takes a lot of effort to lift something big – like a human – over such a great distance, especially if there are only two of us."

"It's not that you're big," Plagg added nervously. "It's just... we're small. And spineless. And not as powerful as royal fairies, like Goldilocks."

Marinette nodded with understanding. "Are there any other royal fairies?"

Tikki shook her head sadly. "The golden queen is the last royal fairy in existence," she explained. "Without her, the fairies have no leader."

"Which means we're stuck with her, whether we like it or not," Plagg grumbled.

Marinette paused in thought. "So she's my only chance of getting the fairy dust I need to save Adrien," she concluded. "Right – no pressure."

The sky burst open with pink, purple and yellow as the sun set beyond the mountain peaks. By then, Marinette, Tikki and Plagg finally emerged at the top of the peak, which was bordered by a ring of deadly-looking boulders. Sitting at the centre of the area was the Fairy Shrine.

It was a lot smaller than Marinette had imagined.

No bigger than a child's garden, it was nothing more than a bunch of miniature crystal pillars stacked around each other in a circle. The crystal in the centre was the tallest, but all of them were dull and white and opaque. As Marinette drew closer, she could see intricate circles carved into the stone underneath the pillars. From the top, the whole thing looked like a diorama of planets and stars orbiting around each other.

The princess frowned. "Is this it?" she asked out loud.

"What were you hoping to see?" Plagg responded with a fanged grin. "Giant statues, glittering fountains and heaps of treasure? You humans have high expectations for _everything_."

Marinette frowned at him before glancing around the area. "But... where's the golden queen?" she enquired restlessly.

Tikki floated up to the crystal pillars and pointed at them. "These crystals have the ability to summon any fairy to this place, lesser or royal," she said. "All you need is the right offering."

"Offering?" Marinette blinked, looking suddenly nervous. "What... What kind of offering do I need to summon the queen with?"

"Beats me," Plagg said with a shrug. "Goldilocks represents all things pure and good in this world... ironically enough."

"That's it!" Tikki exclaimed. "Marinette, you need to offer up something that represents the goodness inside your heart. It can be something as simple as happiness or friendship... or love."

Something squeezed Marinette's middle like a tight corset. "Love..." she repeated softly. Yes... she had just the thing for that.

Marinette pulled off her glove and held up the hand where her father's emerald ring hung around her thumb; the ring Adrien had stolen from her, and then tried on, and then given back. The ring that had brought the princess and her thief together.

 _No... I can't..._

But if she didn't, Marinette's only chance of saving Adrien would be out of her reach.

With a heavy heart, the blunette slipped the ring off, kneeled in front of the Fairy Shrine, and said, "This is for you, Adrien."

Then she placed the ring on top of the tallest crystal pillar.

Suddenly, the stone flashed with golden light. The surrounding pillars did the same, and then the carved circles in the ground lit up as well. Soon, the entire shrine was glowing, creating a column of sparkling sun-coloured light that shot up into the sky.

Marinette gasped with awe. Tikki and Plagg clung to each other, their bulbous eyes enlarging.

Then, from within the depths of the golden column of light, a small figure came into view.

Marinette squinted and realized the figure was a tiny woman, very human in appearance but definitely fairy in nature. Her honey-coloured hair hung in ringlets around her sharp face. Her tanned skin gave off a lustrous glow, like it was dusted with copper. Broad, insect-like wings fluttered at her back and gave off tiny sprinkles of golden light as she flew. She wore a gown of molten gold that was far too long for her body, and the train hung off her like a ribbon in the wind.

It wasn't until the golden queen locked her deep yellow eyes on Marinette that she finally spoke in a sharp tone, "Are you the one who summoned me, human?"

Marinette's mouth open and closed several times like a fish before she cleared her throat and replied graciously, "Yes, Your Majesty. My name is Mar-"

"I know who you are," the queen interjected with a frown, which also made Marinette frown. "You are Marinette, second-born princess of the human kingdom of Dupain-Cheng, who also goes by the unappealing moniker "Ladybug"."

"Princess?!" Tikki and Plagg gasped.

Marinette giggled at them awkwardly before turning back to the golden queen with a firm nod. "Then you must know why I'm here," she stated.

The queen didn't change her annoyed expression one bit. "Indeed I do," she declared, "and I'm afraid you've come all this way for nothing. I have sworn to never again let another human acquire _my_ fairy dust."

Marinette tried not to sound too desperate, remembering the tone Bridgette always used when making a point to the royal council. "I understand why you would choose to do so," she said with gentle eyes, "but I must ask you to reconsider. As I'm sure you're aware, an evil sorcerer named Lord Hawkmoth has put a sleeping curse on the man I love. Your dust is the only thing that can break the spell and wake him up."

The golden queen lifted her chin. "Tell me, child," she said with a bit of bite in her voice, "why should I help you to awaken the human thief who stole from me? The very same one that underhanded _cat_ assisted, if I recall," she added with a glare at Plagg.

Marinette looked back at the cat fairy, who let out a high-pitched, "Heh-heh," and shrank back fearfully. Tikki flew in front of her friend and frowned at the golden queen, her tiny hands on her tiny hips.

Marinette turned back to the queen. "Plagg was only trying to help Adrien," she insisted, "and Adrien only did what he did so he could free his mother from the same curse that has now taken _him_."

"But he failed, didn't he?" the queen snapped, folding her arms over chest. "He wasted his efforts _and_ the dust he took to save _you_ instead."

The memory of that frightful event on the Troll Bridge came back to Marinette. She clenched her jaw and narrowed her bluebell eyes on the queen. "If Adrien hadn't, I wouldn't be here now," she argued. "More importantly, he wouldn't have saved the lives of two innocent people that Hawkmoth had sentenced to eternal torment. How can you _possibly_ fault Adrien for that?"

Hot cracks of light snapped around the golden queen like bolts of lightning. "Do not speak to me of faults when _your_ kind is the epitome of imperfection," she asserted coldly. "Humans claim to be a noble and honourable race, yet desire and selfishness come so easily to them. They deceive themselves into thinking their actions are the right ones, but in their hubris they fail to understand the consequences until it is too late." The queen stared down at Marinette. "So what strange force convinced Adrien into _heroically_ giving up my dust for the likes of you?"

Marinette already had her answer ready: "True love."

The queen's eyebrows rose for a moment, but then she glanced away with a snort. "Love is an illusion," she said with something that sounded like pity. "Even if you find it, it never lives up to what you've dreamed of. And the more obstacles that obscure your path, the weaker and less real your love becomes."

"You're wrong," Marinette said.

Tikki and Plagg inhaled softly.

The golden queen cocked her head at the human princess. "I beg your pardon?" she asked, looking more intrigued and less irritated.

Marinette almost smiled at her. "Well, actually... you're right. Finding somebody to love isn't an easy path to tread," she explained. "It takes a lot of effort to push through. No matter where you go, there is always something standing in your way, threatening to tear you apart." Her eyes softened and she glanced down at her father's ring on the crystal pillar, her heart growing heavier. "And sometimes, you wonder if you should give up just to spare yourself the pain. You wonder... is love worth it?"

She caught Tikki and Plagg exchanging a thoughtful glance in the corner of her eye.

Marinette looked back up at the golden queen firmly, her throat tightening. The royal fairy simply stared at her blankly.

"And it is worth it," the princess continued. "You just have to be willing to fight for it. When Adrien fell into darkness, _I_ fought to pull him back out. When I was taken prisoner, _he_ fought to get me back, even..." Marinette couldn't stop the tears from coming. "...even if it meant he had to pay the ultimate price in the end." The tears fell, and Marinette took a deep shaky breath. "And now, I am fighting to save him from a fate worse than death... because I believe I can. I _know_ I can!" She paused to wipe her face and then spoke more softly, "Because that kind of love is more real than _anything_ in this world."

For a moment, the golden queen's mouth parted and she loosed a soft sigh. Her yellow eyes still had that sharpness to them, but they were more empathetic now... like a lion no longer sensing a threat.

Tikki sniffled a bit beside Marinette. "That was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard," she squeaked with her tiny hands on her chest.

Even Plagg looked a little watery. "Don't mind me," he said, turning away to paw at his eyes. "My allergies are just acting up, that's all."

Marinette let out a breath-like chuckle and dabbed furiously at her tear-streaked face.

At that moment, the pillar of golden light vanished, exposing the fairy queen to the evening air. She flew down to hover right in front of Marinette's face so that they were both now eye-to-eye.

Then the queen spoke again, this time more delicately. "You are... an unusual human, Princess Marinette. Your heart is the fairest and purest I have seen in many centuries." She sighed heavily. "But neither your heart nor your words will be enough to earn you a gift as rare and precious as my dust."

"Then what will?" Marinette asked in a pleading tone. "Tell me what I must do, and if it is in my power, I shall deliver."

Plagg's green eyes bulged and he shook his head. "Uh-huh! Bad idea!"

But the queen ignored him. "Very well," she said to Marinette. "If you want a share of my dust, you must bring me something just as valuable in exchange; something that we fairies cannot acquire ourselves."

Tikki let out a frightened gasp. "You don't mean...!" she breathed.

Marinette was almost regretting her promise now. "What?" she asked carefully.

"The enchanted water of Lake Nostos," the queen responded.

Plagg snarled viciously, his pupils constricting. "Why you sneaky, silver-tongued snake!" he hissed.

Tikki zoomed up to Marinette, not caring that she almost bumped into the golden queen. "No, Marinette!" she cried, her blue eyes wide with panic. "You mustn't go there! It's suicide!" Then the red fairy snapped to her leader. "Please, my queen, there must be another way!"

"Preferably one where she doesn't get her herself killed!" Plagg added sharply as he flew down beside his partner.

Marinette glanced between her two little friends before narrowing her eyes once more at the queen. "What are they talking about? What exactly _is_ Lake Nostos?"

The golden queen hovered away from the commotion before replying, "It's a sacred place on the other side of the mountain. Its water is rumoured to have incredible healing properties, and it can even restore a person's true form."

Plagg didn't take his beady eyes off of the queen as he said to Marinette, "There's just one problem, and Goldie knows it. No living creature has ever returned from that lake alive."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Why doesn't _that_ surprise me?" she murmured.

"Plagg's telling the truth, Marinette," Tikki insisted. "A terrible beast resides in those waters; one that's lived for hundreds of years. Once you set foot in its domain..."

Plagg make a chomping notion with his teeth. "One minute you're human," he said. "The next, you're enchanted chowder."

Marinette tried not to shiver. Were there any strange and magical forces in this world that _didn't_ want to try and kill you?

"Venture to a magical lake," Marinette paraphrased. "Steal magical healing water. Face off against a deadly magical "beast" that no one has ever survived." She glanced back up at the golden queen, who nodded impassively.

"If you claim to be fighting for your true love," the royal fairy said, "then nothing but the enchanted water will appease me."

"Bullshit!" Plagg snapped, startling even Marinette and Tikki. "It's like Tikki said – suicide! You're just doing this to get rid of Marinette, you traitor!"

The queen giggled at him with a smirk. "An amusing remark, coming from _you_. Have you ever heard of the tale of the pot and the kettle?"

The cat fairy went totally feral at that moment. " _That's it_!" he growled.

He tried to tackle the queen, but then Tikki was there, yanking back on his tail. "Plagg, don't!" the red fairy pleaded as she pulled.

"Let me at her!" Plagg shrieked, clawing through the air as through it would help. "I'll tear her wings off and stitch them back together!"

"Stop it, both of you!" Marinette scolded, her shout cutting across the entire mountain.

Tikki and Plagg both paused and blinked at the princess.

"This isn't your decision – it's mine," Marinette argued as gently as she could. "If this is the only way to save Adrien, then I'll take my chances with this... so-called "beast"."

Tikki let go of Plagg's tail, looking like she was going to cry again. "But... But Marinette..." she started with a croaked voice. "It's too dangerous..."

Plagg said nothing as he rubbed his sore tail, but he looked at Marinette with guilt-ridden eyes.

Marinette smiled at them both. "I appreciate the warning," she said. "You two are real good friends. But my mind's already made up, and I never go back on my word." She turned back to the golden queen with a determined nod. "Your Majesty, I accept your challenge."

The queen nodded back. "Then we have a bargain: the water for the dust," she declared. Then she affixed Marinette with a cool gaze. "For your sake, Princess Marinette, I duly hope your love for your thief is as real as you claim."

The princess put on a grin worthy of Cat Noir. "I guess we'll both find out soon enough, won't we?" she stated.

Without so much as a goodbye to the fairy queen, Marinette turned away and headed towards the path leading back down the mountain.

Behind her, she heard Plagg whispering sadly to Tikki, "Aw, cheese. And I was just starting to like _this_ one too."


	22. 4:4: Come Hell or High Water

**PART 4:**

 _ **Chapter 4:**_

 _ **Come Hell or High Water**_

It was a lot easier going down the mountain... and faster too, especially on the other side, where the ground was gradually getting softer.

 _Good_ , Marinette thought. _The sooner I get to the lake and back, the sooner I can get the fairy dust._

She had been walking restlessly, letting gravity drag her down the mountain, pausing only to make sure Tikki and Plagg were flying by her side.

Every few minutes or so, the two fairies would try to talk Marinette out of going to Lake Nostos. Tikki was gentler about the whole thing than Plagg, who kept pointing out all the nasty little details. Marinette knew he was just trying to scare her... which, in point of fact, he was succeeding at. But that wasn't going to stop the princess anyway. Beast or no beast, she was getting that enchanted water.

It wasn't until they returned to the forest below when Marinette heard Tikki and Plagg groaning behind her. She turned and was surprised to see them struggling to stay up in the air, as though they were exhausted. But judging from their pale complexions and scrunched faces, Marinette realized it was more than that.

"What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

Plagg bobbed up and down, panting. "It's the lake," he replied. "The closer we get to it, the weaker our magic becomes."

"It's the... the beast's doing," Tikki said drearily. "It doesn't want... anyone with magic... near it. Makes it easier... to catch its prey."

Marinette suddenly felt guilty. "Then... why did you come all the way down here with me? Why put yourselves at risk like that?"

"Because we don't want you to go, you dummy!" Plagg exasperated. "We still owe you from saving us from those goblins!"

Tikki nodded up at Marinette, despite her droopy eyes. "You're too good, Marinette," she said. "We've never had a human friend before... and we don't want anything to happen to you."

The princess's eyes widened and her face fell. Then she smiled thoughtfully at the two fairies. "You know, you two should have started with that," she said.

Tikki and Plagg blinked at her... then chuckled.

"I've never had fairy friends before," Marinette mused, "much less ones that were willing to give up their magic just to keep me safe." She smiled again and said, "I don't want anything to happen to you two either, so now we all know what has to happen: I have to go on alone. The golden queen wants _me_ to get the enchanted water, and that's what I'm going to do."

Eyes of sparkling blue and cat-like green bore into her, fighting to hold back their distress.

"What if we never see you again?" Tikki asked.

"You will," Marinette assured the little red fairy. "I have every intention of coming back. After all..." She winked at Plagg. "I still owe you some camembert."

The black fairy flashed a feline grin. "Don't you forget it, sister," he said.

Marinette glanced between the two fairies proudly. "Thank you both for bringing me here. And don't worry – it will take a lot more than one beast to bring _me_ down."

Tikki and Plagg said nothing as the princess turned away slowly and proceeded down into the woods.

The nightly air was ripe with the scents of pine, wet sand and seawater. In addition, there were no glowing lights or flowers to be seen. Apparently, fairy-fauna didn't grow in this part of the forest. _I'm definitely getting close_ , Marinette thought as she walked on.

A short while later, Marinette heard something and stopped in her tracks. It sounded like water lapping over rocks. The lake!

Marinette sprinted forward. Before long, she emerged out of the trees and onto a flat, dark-sanded beach.

The lake was enormous, stretching far out to meet up with the mountains on the other side. The water was so crystalline blue that it appeared to glow with its own light. Not a single rock or branch disturbed the still, glass-like surface. The moon and stars above only served to make the lake glow brighter and more beautiful.

But if there was one life lesson Marinette had learned, it was that looks can be deceiving. Funny enough, it hadn't been her adventures in the Enchanted Forest that had taught her that... but her days spent with Chloe.

Marinette paused at the shoreline, pulling off her gloves and glancing over the lake very carefully. Whatever this beast was, it probably... no, it _most surely_ knew she was here.

Marinette kept her quiver of arrows slung over her back, but she pulled out her bow with one hand while she unfastened her water pouch from her belt with the other. Popping the topper open, Marinette checked one last time for any disturbance in the lake. Nothing happened.

She bent down with her knees and held the pouch suspended over the water. Still nothing.

With a deep breath, Marinette plunged the pouch into the water. It was as cold as ice.

A deep, rumbling sound filled the air, making the lake's surface ripple. Then Marinette heard a sloshing sound up ahead. Something was coming towards her.

The princess's heart pounded as she filled the last bits of her pouch with the enchanted water. Then she rose up quickly, tucked the dripping thing away, and reached back for an arrow.

She hadn't even readied it when a face emerged from the dark, blue depths and stared at her with unblinking, silvery eyes.

It was a human face. A man's face.

Marinette blinked confusedly. _What...?_

The man waded towards her slowly, his eyes piercing her core with a resounding shiver. When he reached the shallows, he stood and walked out of the water towards her. Long, sheer black hair fell over his shoulders, and he displayed a diadem of sea-silver and pearls on his head like a proud king. His bare chest glistened in the moonlight. He wore nothing but slim white trousers that showed off the muscles in his legs.

The princess felt her cheeks heat up. This man seemed so dark and mysterious... yet, so angelic and handsome. She could smell him even from several feet away: sea salt and citrus and lavender. It almost made her want to relax.

Until she remembered the bow and arrow in her hands and she regained her focus.

The man hummed at her and smiled coolly. "A princess," he said, his slurring voice sending another jolt through Marinette. "I haven't had such... _lovely_ company in so long."

He was getting too close now, so Marinette nocked the arrow and raised it at him. "Stop," she ordered sharply.

The man paused, but his dark grin never faltered.

Marinette could feel the man's aura trying to tempt her and make her drop her guard. She knew what this kind of power was. She'd felt it before, in Alya. But this man was far different, and far stronger.

Then Marinette remembered all those terrifying ghost stories Bridgette used to share with her when they were children, particularly the ones involving beautiful creatures that lured unsuspecting princesses to their doom. "I know what you are, _beast_ ," Marinette told the dark-haired man, keeping her arrow pointed at his broad chest. "You're a siren – a creature of the deep that enchants travellers and drags them down to a watery grave."

The man merely chuckled and stepped closer. "Why would I ever wish to hurt a clever and _beautiful_ woman like yourself?" he asked enticingly. He reached up casually and brushed Marinette's arrow aside. Then he inched his fingers toward her face and whispered, "Besides, I can think of much better things we can do together."

Marinette recoiled from his reach and re-locked her arrow on him. "Stay away from me!" she growled, narrowing her eyes to let him know she was _not_ interested. "I will not fall victim to your charm."

That only made the siren's smile broaden, as though her stubbornness amused him. "You have strength in you," he mused, "but you're only human." He backed away a few steps into the shallows, his silver eyes gleaming at the blunette shrewdly. "And human hearts are so easily misled."

Marinette knew she should turn tail and leave now while she still could. But for some strange reason, she couldn't take her eyes off the siren. _It's his magic_ , she thought bitterly. _He's fighting to keep me here._

She could do nothing but watch as the siren bent over and scooped up some water with both hands. Then he straightened up and splashed it against his face. In an instant, the siren's long, night-black hair changed to short, glittering gold. His tall, muscular body became thin and gangly with barely any build.

Marinette gasped.

The siren opened his eyes. Green – loving, mischievous, beautiful green.

Marinette could barely breathe. Her heart rose and her spine sighed with elation. Her fingers went slack, and without meaning to she lowered her bow to her side. She tried to speak, but her voice had completely vanished.

It looked _so much_ like him: that cat-like glimmer in his eyes that she knew and loved, that warm smile that made her insides flutter, and that calm serenity about him that made her feel safe and happy.

 _But... no. It can't be... He's trapped in a... in a..._ Marinette couldn't think properly. Something foggy clouded her mind, telling her there was nothing for her to fear; that she had finally found happiness.

The apparition spoke to her, "Am I _purr_ -fect for you now, Ladybug?"

Oh god... Even his _puns_ were the same, and in _his_ voice too!

Marinette shook her head feverishly. "You're not really here." She tried to sound convincing, but her tone was so weak, like she was fighting off exhaustion. She tried to step back, but then stopped. "I _know_ you're not really here," she breathed. "You're just an illusion."

Adrien... no, the _siren_ stepped towards her with a sad smile. "Sometimes an illusion is better than the truth," he said in Adrien's voice. Marinette intensified as he approached her at last, his face dangerously close to hers. "And the truth is..." the siren continued as he reached up and stroked her chin. "...you can't save me, Ladybug. No matter how hard you try, you can never have what you want most in this world."

Marinette's eyes rolled to the back of her head and she let out a shaky sigh. The siren's magic pulsed through his fingers and into her skin, filling her veins and causing her strength to wane by the second. She tried to drown out his words, but they were now echoing in her ears and reverberating off her bones. She tried to pull away, but then his soft hands were grazing her neck and her hair, and she suddenly didn't _want_ to fight him anymore. She stood upon the shore's edge and leaned forward. _More_ , her traitorous heart begged.

"But here," the siren's tone rose to sound more assuring, "I can make all of your pain go away." He whispered so close into her ear that Marinette shivered. "I can give you the happiness you seek."

 _Happiness... yes. I want that._

 _No! I can't...!_

Those green eyes she remembered snatched her back up in a heartbeat. "All you have to do," the siren said, cupping her face in his hands, "is kiss me."

Marinette was shaking so badly she couldn't decide whether to fight it or allow it to consume her.

The apparition produced that mischievous smile once again. "I know you want to," he quipped with that arrogance she knew all too well. "I can sense it."

"No..." Marinette whispered feebly. But she knew it was a lie.

He drew closer, his breath so hot and inviting it made her close her eyes.

Their lips met... and she was lost.

She sank deeper into his kiss, her core going up in flames. Her mind became so numb she could think of nothing – nothing except _him_.

 _You're here. You're safe. I love you. I love you so much._

Her bow and arrow slipped out of her hands and clunked onto the wet sand, but she paid them no heed. Her hands caressed his bare chest, and then his neck. He was so wet, yet so warm. She pulled him closer, devouring the taste of him greedily. She moaned into his mouth, and that made him kiss her more fiercely than before, and that made her moan again.

 _Yes. Yes, I'm here. Yes, we're together. Yes!_

She gasped for air before kissing him again, letting her tongue do the talking.

Of course, she was so preoccupied that she failed to notice he was gently leading her away from the shore. She stepped obediently into the water with him, content with following him to the ends of the earth if she had to.

His fingers moved down her body and he grasped her hands, tugging her forward. She sighed happily and let him.

 _Adrien..._

* * *

ADRIEN:

I stop and snap around. I'm sure I heard something.

My hunch proves true, and the voice whispers again, "Adrien..."

It's _her_! But... it's weaker now, and growing softer. Something is wrong, I can feel it. Something is _very_ wrong.

"Ladybug?" I call into the darkness, shining the glowing lucky charm in front of me.

"Adrien... Adrien... Adrien..." She's fading away.

I cannot shake the warning in my gut. She's in danger!

"Ladybug, where are you?!" I shout. But I know that I'm wasting my time. I have to find her before it's too late!

I glare down at the charm in my hand, turning it this way and that. I go wherever it glows the brightest. But it's taking forever. And no matter where I go, all I see is endless darkness. I move faster – faster, because my lady needs me and I can't help her if I'm trapped here!

The large charm glows hotter now. Way too hot. It singes my fingers.

"Ah!"

I drop it onto the ground. It glows so strongly now I can _hear_ it.

I kneel down to pick it up... and that's when I feel it: the heat. Not from the charm, but from the _floor_.

A burning floor?

I press my hand against it. Ouch – very hot! But that tells me something. How could a floor be so hot when I could see nothing burning it?

That's when I realize. The heat is not coming from _this_ side of the floor... but from _underneath_ it!

That's where Ladybug is – I just know it!

Despite the heat, I pound my fist onto the floor. "Hello?!" I cry as loud as I can as I hit it harder. "Ladybug? Can you hear me?!"

I hear no reply.

But I _do_ hear a cracking sound.

My stomach does stiff and I glance under my feet.

 _CRACK!_

I fall, and searing heat engulfs me instantly. Orange light flashes in my eyes, blinding me. Then I hit the ground. It feels like hard tile, like the floors I remember from Castle Agreste.

Groaning, I gather myself up and nearly stagger from the sight I now behold.

I'm standing in nicely-furnished room... that is entirely up in flames. The tables and chairs creak and snap from the heat. The curtains along the windows are nothing but veils of orange fire. Entire dressers and drawers collapse around me before being swallowed by the inferno. There is barely enough space on the floor for me to stand in.

Embers glitter in my eyes, watering them. Smoke fills my lungs, making me cough.

What the _hell_ did I get myself into now?

* * *

Marinette could feel the water rising up to her knees, but she didn't care. She didn't care about anything anymore... save for the man in her arms.

"Adrien," she murmured between his rough kisses.

He smiled at her through his teeth. "Yes, my lady, it's me."

He angled his head and pressed his lips against her neck, making her gasp. Marinette let her head fall backwards with a sigh.

When he was finished, the siren retreated further into the water, dragging her with her like a puppet on a string. "Come with me," he said. "We can finally be together, and nothing will ever tear me from you again. You want that, don't you?"

 _I want... I want..._

 _Wait a minute_. Marinette blinked confusedly, her focus returning. Adrien – the _real_ Adrien – had said that before, back in the dungeons of Castle Bourgeois. But how... how did the _siren_ know those words? Unless...

 _My memories_ , she realized. _He can see into my memories, and he's picking out the ones I treasure the most._

But Marinette didn't want to _relive_ her memories of Adrien. She wanted to create _new_ ones.

The princess wrenched her hands free from the siren's grip, making him pause with an appalled frown. "No!" she asserted firmly. "I don't want an illusion. I want the _real_ Adrien with me, or I'll have nothing at all."

The siren's face – her thief's face – fell as though she had hurt his feelings. "This doesn't feel real to you?" he asked desperately as he splashed back over to her.

Marinette tried to turn away, but now he had her by her shoulders. She could feel his power trying to break back into her mind. "Stop it!" she hissed, squeezing her eyes shut and weakly trying to twist out of his hold. _This isn't real, this isn't real..._

Before she knew it, he was pressing one of her hands against his chest. Warmth tickled her fingers, and she could feel a rhythmic thud beneath his skin. It made _her_ heart thud even more. _No..._

"Feel that?" the siren asked gently. " _That_ is real." He turned her chin to face him, and she trembled from the sight of those brilliant green eyes. "And so is this."

Then he was kissing her again, and Marinette lost control of herself once more. She shouldn't be doing this; she _knew_ she shouldn't... but her will was ebbing away like the tide on the shore. _Stay with him_ , a strange voice inside her urged. _Let him hold you, touch you, and love you. Stay with him, and you'll finally be free._

The siren's hands were on her back. They stripped her of her quiver of arrows and flung it away, and then he pressed her whole body against him. He stepped and turned her around so that his back was to the shore now, blocking her only escape.

All the while, they waded deeper into the lake. Now the water was up to Marinette's waist. And the further they went, the more the princess's strength failed.

That is, until the apparition whispered with a purr, "I love you."

Marinette's eyes snapped open, and she ripped away from his last kiss with disgust. "No, you don't," she spat.

The siren looked at her like she was crazy. "Yes, I do," he argued, reaching up to touch her face. "Ladybug, I love you!"

"No!" Marinette snarled. She snatched his wrist and tore it away from her. " _Adrien_ loves me... because he _knows_ me, and I know _him_. More importantly, I know what love feels like." She shoved the siren off of her so roughly that he almost fell backwards. " _This_ isn't it!"

The apparition's face darkened, and his eyes turned feral. Apparently, he didn't like the fact that a human princess was resisting his spell. "Isn't having the _idea_ of love worth putting an end to your suffering?" he enquired with a low tone.

Marinette quickly gathered in her surroundings. If she could just keep him at bay long enough, she might be able to slip past him and race back to shore before he caught her. She locked her bluebell eyes on the vile beast again, letting her anger burn away all trace of desire. "Better to suffer through a reality than live through a lie," she said firmly. "And to be honest, I am _damn_ sick of lies!"

The siren gave her a dark grin that was _definitely_ not Adrien's. "Congratulations, _Ladybug_ ," he said threateningly. His green eyes shifted back into silver, and they bore into Marinette with utmost hatred. "You're the first one."

It was now or never.

Marinette dove to his right, but he caught her like the slippery eel he was.

The princess let out a startled gasp as she felt herself flying backwards... and into the cold water.

* * *

ADRIEN:

Fire shoots up in all directions. It's getting harder to see, harder to breathe.

I cough again, but now my throat is as dry and hot as wood left in the sun.

I look around for a way out. There are no doors to be seen, and all the windows have agonizing death written all over them. I'm trapped.

And the worst part, I'm alone.

"Ladybug!" I cry out, but my voice is strained by the smoke. I cough again. "Ladybug, where are you?!"

A part of the ceiling caves in and crashes onto the ground beside me. I leap away, but then I cry out from the flames licking at my arms.

Sweat pours down my brow, only to sizzle away from the heat. I'm boiling alive in here!

I have to keep looking for her... I can't stop looking... But there's no one here... and there's no way out.

I am going to die. Maybe I was already dead to begin with.

* * *

If Marinette wasn't fully alert before, she was now. Her entire body tensed from the freezing water surrounding her, and her lungs were starting to ache as she held her breath.

Meanwhile, she struggled against the siren's grip as he dragged her down with incredible speed. Marinette felt her ears pop and a strange heaviness engulf her. There were so many bubbles obscuring her vision.

Then, the siren let her go, leaving Marinette floating by herself in the open water. She blinked and struggled to swim into an upward position. Her midnight-blue tails had loosened, and now her hair was a fluffy dark cloud around her head. How far down was she?

Her foot scuffed against something hard and... metallic? Marinette looked down... and almost screamed.

It was the skeleton of a man wearing gladiator-like armour, which had obviously fitted him better when he was alive. It looked so old and rusty, and the bones were plastered with filth and moss. But no one had ever used broad and heavy armour like that in _centuries_!

Marinette scanned the lake floor and discovered, to her horror, that there were more skeletons... and not just men. Women, _children_ even, littered the bottom like they had been picked clean and then thrown away, their clothes now nothing but shreds. If Marinette hadn't been worried about drowning, she might have vomited right then and there.

So many victims... and the young princess of Dupain-Cheng was about to join them.

She saw movement in the distance and snapped back up to see something long and eel-like hovering out in front of her. It was the siren! His legs and trousers had been replaced by a sickly-white tail with glistening scales and sharp fins that brushed through the water gracefully. The creature's top half still resembled Adrien, and he smiled and beckoned to her to him.

But Marinette wouldn't give him the satisfaction. She kicked out with all her might and paddled up towards the surface.

She had barely gone a few metres when something snatched her up by her leg. Panicking, Marinette looked down to see a rope of seaweed wrapped around her calve. It secured itself tightly on its own accord and started pulling her back down towards the bottom.

Marinette attempted to wrench her leg out, but all her kicking only exhausted her and made her lungs burn more. Left with no choice, she reached down with both hands and tried to rip the seaweed off, but it held on strong.

Everything was becoming foggier now. Her chest was hurting her so much. Air! She needed air!

But the more Marinette struggled, the weaker she became. The siren was watching her now; she could almost feel his triumphant gaze on her back.

 _No_ , Marinette thought as she clawed through the water. The surface rippled high above her, the pale moon glistening like a pearl. _It can't end this way..._

She couldn't take it anymore. Water was already seeping into her mouth. She reached out to the top once last time, and then her struggling ceased. She closed her eyes. If she was to die like this, she would not let the siren see her hopelessness and despair.

 _Adrien... I'm sorry..._

* * *

ADRIEN:

"Adrien... I'm sorry..."

I barely hear her through the roaring flames. But the moment I look up, I see her.

She's just... standing there, doing nothing. Her eyes are closed, but she looks like she's in pain; like she's about to die and she knows it.

The fire is getting closer... to both of us.

Even with my chocked voice, I give my call everything I've got: " _Ladybug_!"

She wakes up gasping. Then she's grabbing onto her throat, wheezing and coughing and turning deathly pale. She can't breathe!

I don't care if I burn, I don't care if I should die in this smoldering pit of hell. I just reach through the wall of flame with all the strength I have left.

"Take my hand!" I cry, wincing from the tongues of fire licking at me. The floor bubbles and twists beneath my feet, threatening to give way. I can feel the heat along my arm as my sleeve catches fire, but I keep pushing forward. "Ladybug, grab onto me!"

She looks up at me, and suddenly her fear melts away. She's still choking, but it becomes less important to her now. Seeing me gives her that hopeful, confident edge in her bluebell eyes that I remembered from the moment we met.

Without hesitation, she reaches out to me.

I smile at her. I had no tears left to shed, but if I did, I would have cried a storm.

I found my lady. And she found me. _Could've picked a better place to meet_ , I thought with a mirthless chuckle.

Suddenly, the room explodes.

Our fingers touch, and something cool and comforting engulfs me: a bright golden light.

Not darkness. Light.

* * *

Marinette wrenched her eyes open again.

 _I saw Adrien. The_ real _Adrien! He was here, in the lake, reaching out to me!_

He had fought off the curse somehow, and in that short instant, he had found her. Just like he promised he would.

Now, he was gone. There was nothing in front of Marinette but the bottom of the lake.

And... a dagger?

Marinette heard a swishing sound from behind her. The siren was coming!

Feigning unconsciousness, the princess blew out a tiny bit of air from her mouth, causing her to dip forward. Her frigid fingers brushed against the handle of the age-old blade.

At that moment, a pair of strong hands gripped her by the shoulders and spun her around. The siren's silvery eyes met Marinette's blurry blue ones, and then he leaned forward and kissed her. Only this time, he was trying to suck every last bit of air out of her lungs. He had claimed another worthy prize.

Or so he thought.

With one hand, Marinette grasped the back of his neck. With the other, she drove the ancient dagger into his abdomen.

The siren's eyes widened with terror and agony, and a cascade of bubbles burst from his mouth as he let out a scream Marinette couldn't hear. But the princess didn't let go of him. She stabbed him two more times, glaring at the insidious beast unashamedly.

A cloud of blood eased between them, growing unsteadily bigger. The siren twitched and jerked as Marinette withdrew the dagger. Her hand left a trail of red in its wake as she floated away from him.

She blinked, and Adrien's face was gone. The gold in his hair inked out into long, floating, black strands. His muscles returned, but there was no strength left in them. The siren's silver eyes bore into Marinette once last time, revealing pure denial and anguish.

Then... there was nothing. Those eyes became as cold and empty as glass.

Marinette watched the dead siren sink deeper into the depths of his own prison before she swam up towards the surface.

She broke through into the open night sky, gasping for air. God, it hurt so much, but she had never felt anything better in her life! She spat out seawater from her lungs as she weakly treaded on the surface.

Panting and blinking the salty sting out of her eyes, Marinette waded gently towards shore, knowing she had exerted herself enough. But as soon as her feet touched the shallows, gravity bore down on her and she fell onto her hands and knees, nearly swallowing a mouthful of water in the process. Coughing again, Marinette crawled with gritted teeth out of the freezing lake and onto the soft, dark, sandy beach.

She didn't remember hitting the ground. Or falling unconscious.

But she _did_ remember waking up to sunlight... and a pair of tiny, frantic voices:

"Look, she's moving! Marinette! If you can hear me, say something!"

Tikki!

"You sure she's still breathing? Try poking her... or tickling her!"

Yep, that was Plagg.

"Touch me," Marinette groaned stiffly as she woke up, "and you'll never see another _morsel_ of camembert again."

"HA!" The cat fairy cheered and spun around above her face. "You're awake! See, Tikki? I told you not to fret so much, but did you listen?"

Tikki shook her head at him with a sigh. "I'm too relieved right now to argue with you, Plagg," she said with a quirky smile. Then she beamed at Marinette. "And _you_! You are the craziest, bravest human I have ever met!"

Marinette smiled as the red fairy zoomed up and nestled against her cheek excitedly.

Then the princess frowned as she realized it was no longer night time. The sun had risen, and the shimmering lake looked brighter and livelier than before. Marinette immediately sat up. "Was I out the whole night?" she asked glancing between the two fairies. "And... hold on a minute. How are you two here? What about the magical field?"

"Duh!" Plagg said. "By killing the beast, you broke all of his enchantments, _including_ the field."

"Once it was down," Tikki explained as Marinette sat up, "Plagg and I came here as fast as we could. Then we saw you lying there like a washed-up fish and..." She shrugged coyly. "Well, we knew you were alive, but you still had us worried."

" _Us_?" Plagg echoed with a snort. "You mean _you_ were worried. Not me! I knew all along Marinette would make it. Really, I did!"

The princess let out a feeble giggle. "Thanks, you two," she sighed before clearing her throat. Then she reached onto her belt and unclasped her now-full water pouch – her ticket to saving her true love.

The memory of her encounter with Adrien in the lake came back to Marinette, and she held back a throb in her throat. _He's alive_ , she assured herself. _He's still out there somewhere... and still cursed. But not for much longer._

"Come on," Marinette said to her companions. "We have to get back to the shrine."

* * *

Once Marinette finished explaining everything, the golden queen pursed her lips with intrigue.

"I'm surprised," she said as she fluttered in front of Marinette. In the light of day, she looked more radiant and beautiful than ever... but no less irritable. "You actually fought against the siren's spell... and succeeded."

Plagg let out something along the lines of a grunt and a hiss. "Sorry to disappoint you, Goldie," he grumbled.

"Hush, you," Tikki snipped at him.

Marinette nodded, but her face bore no expression. "I've fulfilled my end of the bargain," she said as she extended the water pouch to the queen. "Now you fulfil yours. The water for the dust."

The queen huffed at her. "You humans are so eager, like dogs waiting to be thrown the bone," she quipped. "What makes you think I won't go back on my word and withhold the dust from you?"

Marinette wasn't at all surprised. She had a feeling the human-hating Queen of the Fairies would try to worm her way out of their deal.

"You gave your word, Your Majesty," Tikki said with an adorable scowl. "Plagg and I witnessed it. If you refuse to honour the deal, the other fairies won't stand for it."

The royal fairy raised a shifty eyebrow at the red fairy. "You would turn against your own queen?" she asked in a rough voice. "You, the fairy of happiness and creation, would incite rebellion and chaos among your own kind... over _one_ human?"

"And a friend," Plagg added with a determined nod, making Marinette smile.

"A friend who was willing to sacrifice herself to save her true love!" Tikki insisted. "A friend who braved death itself and came back because she was holding onto something worth living for! That alone is enough to convince _me_ of her good intentions. So yes!" She nodded firmly. "I _would_ turn against you, golden queen. Because Marinette doesn't break her promises to her friends!"

Plagg purred at his partner. "A fairy after my own heart," he sighed.

Marinette glanced back at the astounded royal fairy, but she said nothing. Apparently, Tikki had covered everything the princess had wanted to say.

Then, to the three companions' bewilderment, the golden queen burst out laughing. But it was a good laugh, like chimes dancing in the wind.

Marinette blinked several times at the royal fairy. Tikki looked at Plagg, and the latter made a circular notion around his temple with his paw.

Then the queen paused and said with a broad smile, "This is better than I ever imagined! One human princess not only vanquishes the fairies' sworn enemy, but convinces two of them to selflessly stand with her, no matter the consequences." She glanced down at Marinette with something the princess had never seen in those yellow eyes before: approval. "And all because she was fighting to save the man she loves?"

Marinette honestly couldn't tell if the fairy was messing around with her or being serious. Or both.

The queen shook her head and wiped her eyes. "My dear child," she said with a voice as sweet as honey, "anyone who can win the hearts of others with their acts of courage and love is _more_ than worthy of my golden fairy dust. In fact, you don't even _need_ it."

"Huh?!" Tikki and Plagg blurted in unison, their eyes wide as marbles.

Marinette's mouth fell open. "Wha...? Say again?"

The golden queen's face softened a bit and she brushed her hands along her long dress. "I am truly sorry for the way I have treated you, Princess. Given my previous experience with humans, I had no reason to trust you. That is why I forced you to face the lake guardian. If your feelings for your beloved were as strong and genuine as you said, you could look beyond the illusion of love and resist the siren's enchantments."

Marinette felt her face go slack with shock. "You were... trying to _test_ me?" she squeaked incredulously. "But what...? What about the enchanted water? I thought this was just an exchange?!"

The queen fiddled with her amber hair. "I lied," she admitted sheepishly. "I have no need for magical healing water – I'm a fairy! We cannot die by mortal means. Only magic can destroy us." She smiled at the perplexed Marinette once more. "That being said, you didn't go through all that trouble for nothing. You have earned the loyalty and friendship of two fairies," she winked at Tikki and Plagg, "and you have reminded me that true love, no matter how futile it seems, can never be broken. You, Princess Marinette, have earned my complete trust... and you are deserving of a special secret I have never told _any_ human."

Marinette wasn't sure she could take any more secrets and surprises. She tried to say something, like a "thank you" or even a "what the bloody hell?"

Instead, the only word she could manage was, "What?"

The queen inched closer to the human princess, as though she feared the rocks themselves were listening. "There is a magic more powerful than any force that walks this earth, including the _etheria_ , or "fairy dust" as you call it," she said quietly. "It is a magic that precedes time and death and chaos. A magic that now resides inside your heart."

Marinette looked down at her chest and laid a hand on the spot where her heart was, probably expecting to see or feel something odd. When she received nothing, she peered up confusedly at the royal fairy. "What do you mean?" she asked, unsure whether to be hopeful or worried. "What magic? What is it?"

Tikki and Plagg leaned forward with anticipation.

The golden queen smiled amusedly and uttered, "Tr–"

 _WHIZZ!_

Something long and thin sliced right through the queen, causing her to burst into a cloud of golden mist.

Marinette screamed, covering her mouth.

Tikki and Plagg flew backwards with startled, high-pitched cries of their own.

They all watched aghast as the mist converged and reformed back into the golden queen – clearly shaken, but alive.

A cruel, snobbish laugh rang out across the mountain top, making Marinette tense up. She _knew_ that laugh.

Like a falcon extending its talons, the princess instantly drew an arrow and spun around to face the attacker.

"Now, now, Marinette..." the assassin sang from her spot on one of the surrounding boulders. She lowered her own bow and lifted her black, red-spotted hood from her face, revealing sheer golden hair tied up into a flowing ponytail, along with dark, sunken blue eyes and an evil grin.

Marinette's jaw dropped with disbelief.

And then Queen Chloe of Bourgeois said haughtily, "It's rude to whisper when other people are watching, you know."


	23. 4:5: You Win Some, You Lose Some

**MB: So sorry for the wait. The second part of this chapter was long and gruelling and I had a tough time figuring out how to end it. But now I've finished, and I am satisfied. I hope everyone else is too.**

 **The final chapter of Part 4 - the one I'm sure we have all been looking forward to - is next!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **PART 4:**

 _ **Chapter 5:**_

 _ **You Win Some, You Lose Some**_

ADRIEN:

Am I dead? Did the fire already take me?

I don't remember burning, or melting into a human puddle, or going up in smoke. All I remember is Ladybug, and our hands touching through the wall of flames.

Now, just like that, she's gone. And I'm no longer in the burning room.

I'm standing on soft dirt, drinking in the warmth of the sun. A faint breeze brushes against me, carrying the sweet scent of apples. All around me, there are trimmed green hedges that carve a pathway through a forest of tall, lush trees. The branches are heavy with large red apples ripe for the picking. Some of them are leaning right over the hedges and into the pathway.

Wait... I remember now! This is the apple orchard where my mother and I...

I pause. There's someone standing further ahead, at the foot of the central tree. Her back is facing me, but I see long, golden hair tumbling down in waves. Her delicate hand reaches up and plucks one of the delicious fruits from a branch with an effortless twist, and then she places it in the basket at her feet.

My breath catches.

I sprint along the path, zooming through the tunnel of trees and emerging back into the sunlight. I stop just a few feet away from her. She is humming to herself. I recognise the melody; it's a lullaby she used to sing when I was young.

I open my mouth to speak, but then she stops singing. Her head tilts to the side a little. She turns. She sees me... and she smiles.

Everyone at Castle Agreste always said I took more after Queen Vivienne than King Gabriel. The hair and the eyes were a dead giveaway.

"Hello, Adrien," my mother says, looking so sad and so proud at the same time.

Exactly the way I last saw her... in that crystal coffin.

I regain my voice, though not without great difficulty. "Are you real?" I breathe. I almost smile back at her, but then doubt makes me pause. "Unless... you're just another vision."

My mother glances upward, her lip pursing. "Hmm... That _is_ a good question, isn't it?" she says. She presses the tips of her fingers together like she always does when she's thinking. "Let me put it this way: it _is_ me, but... I'm not really here." I stare at her dumbfounded as she turns back to me. "You see, we're both still trapped under the curse. Somehow, our dreams have connected so we can talk to each other while we're asleep."

I figured it had to something weird like that. It just sounds much weirder coming from my mother. Then again, I got my quirkiness from her too.

"So we're, like... in each other's heads?" I ask her.

She giggles warmly, and I no longer doubt she's the real Queen Vivienne. "Yes, I suppose so," she says. Then something offside catches her eye, and her smile slips. "But I don't think it will stay this way for long. Look."

I follow her gaze to the right, and I see the edge of the orchard disappearing. Pieces of the trees begin to break off and fade into the air like ashes. The sun above starts to peel away, and the sky turns redder and darker.

I understand now. This was meant to be a short visit. Pretty soon, we'll both have to go back into our own nightmares. There will be no peace for either of us as long as we are cursed.

I turn back to my mother, and I force myself to smile. Though, I can argue that it isn't _entirely_ forced. I haven't seen her in a year, but instead of freeing her like I intended, I've now ended up in the same helpless situation as her.

But for now, at least, we have this moment.

I step forward and pull her into my arms. She squeezes me back, swaying me gently, and I almost choke on my own words, "I've missed you so much, Mother."

She sighs into my shoulder, "And I you. But I always knew you would find me, sweetheart." We break off and she cups my face in her hand. "That alone is what's kept me from losing myself in this place."

I can imagine. Hawkmoth hadn't been kidding after all. _You will be trapped in an endless maze of darkness made of your worst fears and deepest regrets... for all eternity._

It made me wonder what kind of torment my mother has been forced to endure all this time. Her failure to realize Reginald's true intentions? Her guilt at marrying the man who had slain her first husband? Her fear of losing her only child?

My mother's eyes – _my_ eyes – become glossy and vacant. "The only regret I have," she tells me, "is bringing this fate upon you too."

I shake my head at her. "Mother, Hawkmoth... I mean, _Reginald_ is the one who did this to us," I explain softly. "You have nothing to blame yourself for." I shrug and look away. "Me, on the other hand..."

I stare out into the distance and watch the orchard dissipate before my eyes. My entire world had changed in such a short time, and just when I thought I could get back what I had lost, I'm left with nothing.

I pull away from my mother and walk around the central tree. All of the apples are fading from red to black now. Rotten to the core, just like the stepfather I had trusted.

"You were right about Father," I say to my mother, my throat tightening. "He _was_ a good man, rough as he was. I know that now. I know he gave up his life to protect both of us. And now..." I lower my head and fight to hold back my tears. I have shed enough for my father already. He wouldn't have wanted me to resort to grief and guilt. "And now I will never have the chance to tell him... how sorry I am," I admit with a pang. "For not believing in him. For putting faith in the monster who murdered him."

The wind dies, and all I feel around me is the heavy weight of my own thoughts.

Then... a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't burden yourself with that kind of thinking, sweetheart," my mother tells me with the tone of a wise queen. "Reginald was clever... and charming. If he hadn't saved you from that horse, he would have found another way to win us both over." She shakes her head. "We can never change who people really are, Adrien. Nor can anyone change us. Remember what I used to tell you? You can break a bee's hive..."

"But it will never stop making honey," I finish for her with a small smile as I face her again. "I remember. And you were right. At one point, Hawkmoth tried to... _change_ me," I figure that's the safest word to use. "And I almost did, but then Ladybug... I mean, uh... Princess Marinette..." I rub the back of my neck with embarrassment. "She brought me back."

My mother's thin eyebrows shoot up. "Princess Marinette?" she repeats with fascination. "Of Dupain-Cheng?" Her smile broadens and she peers at me cockily (Yep, I got that from her too). "What have you been up to, my son?"

I chuckle uneasily. If my heart could beat again, it would have surely performed an orchestra. "It's a long story, believe me."

I stop as I notice the apples on the main tree turning to dust. Little by little, the whole tree withers away.

I bite my lip with regret. "But I'm guessing it'll have to wait," I say with a sad glance at my mother.

She nods. "Yes. But this isn't goodbye forever. And if this princess of yours is who I think she is..." She winks at me, making me blush. "...then there's still hope. There is always hope." She takes my hand. Her fingers are cold, but I sense life in them. "Have faith in the power of love, Adrien, and the miracles it brings," she tells me. "And above all, never stop being you. It's only when we lose ourselves that we give way to evil."

At that moment, I realize that we are both alone. There is no orchard, no tree left standing. Just a cold, flat ground of dirt and a blood-red sky fading to black by the second.

When I look back at my mother, I inhale sharply.

That kind, loving face is falling apart at the ends, the pieces blowing away like glittering white dust. But she just smiles at me. Maybe she doesn't feel any pain.

I reach out to touch her with my free hand... only to stop and stare at it with awe. My fingers are fading away into the same diamond-like dust. I glance down at my body. My chest and legs are starting to go too.

The dream was ending, and the nightmare beginning.

But I wasn't afraid anymore.

I smile at my mother and grasp her hand tightly. "Don't you worry, Mother," I say with my unburdened, unwavering voice. "I'll stay strong no matter what. For you. For Father. And for our people." I can feel the dream slipping away, and the darkness closing in once more. But I pay it no heed. "And after I come and wake you up," I continue, "you can meet Marinette yourself. You'll like her – she's almost as stubborn as both of us."

My mother – Queen Vivienne of Agreste – laughs tearfully. "I'm looking forward to meeting her. Very much."

Her skin glows and she lights up like a brilliant star.

Then my fingers close around empty air, and the last traces of my mother fade into sparkles in the sky.

I lower my hand, but I do not despair. I merely hold that wilful grin of mine and stare up into the darkening sky.

"Looks like it's up to you now, my lady," I whisper just as my own body radiates with white light. "I'll see you soon. I know it."

I close my eyes, and I zoom through the air and back into the darkness of my cursed mind.

But I remain as I am now: a shining star; a beacon of hope.

 _She will find me. She will always find me._

* * *

"Hahahaha!" Chloe cackled from her perch on the sharp rock wall, making Marinette more nervous than confused.

She seemed so different now. For one thing, she had traded her fancy dress for a sharp-looking, black hunter's tunic with matching leggings. Her cloak was also black, but with red polka-dots – very much the same pattern as Marinette's own cloak. Not to mention the deadly-looking ebony-wood bow she grasped in her gloved hands.

It was like Marinette was staring at a dark, twisted version of herself. "Chloe..." the princess finally said.

"Not anymore," the former Queen of Bourgeois interjected rudely. "It's Antibug now."

Beside Marinette, Plagg make a spitting noise. "Seriously? Who came up with _that_ name?" he whispered.

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Fine – _Antibug_ ," she corrected herself with a hard tone. "What are you doing here?"

The black-clad woman leapt off her rock and landed in a graceful crouch. Marinette blinked. Chloe had never been so... _nimble_ before.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Antibug said with a sneer as she straightened. "I'm stopping you from saving your precious Cat Noir. And from what I just heard, Tinkerbell here has the secret to breaking his sleeping curse." Antibug pointed the end of her bow at the golden queen. "So – correct me if I'm wrong – but if she were to... you know, _die_..." She shrugged off that word like it was nothing serious. "... then the special secret would die with her. Am I _spot_ -on, Ladybug?" She let out a dark giggle.

Plagg hummed. "Okay, _that_ was better," he admitted, earning him a scowl from Tikki.

Marinette saved her own for Antibug, her blue eyes blazing with abhorrence. "If you think I'm going to stand aside and let you hurt the queen," she growled, never once lowering her drawn-up arrow, "then you should've stayed in prison."

"I _would_ have," Antibug said, "but lucky for me, someone was sweet enough to break me out."

"Let me guess: does his name rhyme with _sloth_?" Marinette smirked as she slowly stepped over to stand between Antibug and the golden queen. "It figures that the Sorcerer King would send another one of his _minions_ to do his dirty work while he warms himself up in his cozy little castle."

"Oh, he _wanted_ to be here today, especially after that little escape stunt you pulled," Antibug retorted. "Unfortunately, he can't cross into the fairy lands. Something about his dark magic clashing with good magic or whatever..." She meagrely tested the string of her bow. "That's why he sent _me_ here to finish the job."

Then Antibug affixed Marinette with a look of cold hatred. "And don't get me wrong, Marinette," she snarled. "I _really_ want to kill you. And I will. But first, I'm going have a little fun." She finished that last part with a twirl of her free hand...

...and an orb of fire erupted in her palm!

Marinette's gasp of fright drowned out those of the three fairies. _Chloe can do_ magic _?!_

"Impossible..." the golden queen exhaled, her hazel skin turning pasty. "How is _one_ human sorcerer able to bestow magic upon another person?"

Marinette's stomach dropped as answered, "Hawkmoth's amethyst brooch."

Antibug laughed again, the firelight enhancing the wicked grin on her face. "Did you think I was just another worthless Akuma?" she asked with that familiar high-and-mighty attitude. "Mothy had spent _years_ trying to perfect the enhancement spell. Once he finally succeeded, all he needed was a worthy subject to test it on." Antibug beamed with cruel delight and placed a hand on her heart. "Now, thanks to me, he has the means of creating a whole _host_ of magic-wielders at his disposal!"

Ice flooded Marinette's veins. She imagined an entire army of Akuma Guards, laying waste to everything in their path with their destructive new powers. "Son of a bitch," Marinette swore. "Hawkmoth's preparing for war!" In the back of her mind, she thought with panic: _I have to warn my family! I have to warn_ everyone _!_

"Precisely," Antibug said. "The three kingdoms shall witness the dawning of a new glorious age." She sneered at an appalled Marinette and drew her flaming hand back. "And it shall start with _your_ destruction!"

The fireball flew... and Marinette fired her arrow.

But it wasn't enough. The arrow turned to ash upon contact, and the fireball continued its course.

Marinette cried out and rolled out of the way. The fairies did the same.

The shot missed them – though not without singing the ends of Marinette's hair – and collided with the rocky ground with a _HISSSSS!_

As she leapt back onto her feet, Marinette drew another arrow and fired it at Antibug. The blonde assassin merely blocked it with a wave of her hand. "Is that the best you can do?" she asked mockingly.

Marinette paused and lowered her bow with a grunt. Mortal weapons were useless against magic. The only other thing she had was her dagger and her water pouch.

Wait... the enchanted water! The queen had mentioned it could restore a person's true form! If Marinette could just get close enough to Antibug...

Dropping her bow and quiver, Marinette clenched her fists and crouched into a fighting stance. "Tikki, Plagg – protect the queen!" she called to her two fairy friends before turning back to Antibug. "Okay, so you know how to use magic. Now let's see what you're really made of."

Antibug smirked, tossed her bow and quivers aside, and cracked her knuckles together. "With pleasure," she purred.

 _All I need is an opening_ , Marinette thought as she braced herself.

The assassin charged and spun around so speedily that Marinette almost didn't block her kick in time. The princess's Chengise training resurfaced and she jabbed repeatedly with her fists from several directions, all the while avoiding Antibug's hard thrusts and kicks. But while she landed a few good blows, the once-dainty queen took them like a champion and fought on harder, driving Marinette back and making her more fatigued than she ever felt before in a fight.

So Marinette used a different tactic: she played dirty – literally.

She grabbed a handful of dirt and flung it in Antibug's face. Her opponent howled and turned away from the murky cloud, rubbing her eyes.

Seizing her chance, Marinette unplugged the stopper on her water pouch and leapt on top of Antibug, preparing to douse her with the magical water.

But this new Chloe was far cleverer than the old Chloe. And stronger. And just as much of a cheater.

Antibug flashed her hand in front of Marinette's face, and a blinding white light appeared from her fingers. Marinette cried out, her eyes tearing up painfully.

She felt herself being flung forward and onto her back, hard. She felt the water pouch jiggling out of her hand and out of reach. _No!_

Then she felt stone-crushing fingers grasp her by the throat and lift her entirely off the ground with immense strength. Marinette tried to take a breath, but nothing came. She blinked her eyes furiously to try and clear them, but all she saw was a blurred version of a sneering, hooded-figure.

Then, she was flying again... and she slammed against rock. Pain shot through her skull.

"Marinette!" she heard Tikki cry.

Plagg let out an appalled gasp, as did the golden queen.

The princess winced as she struggled to bring herself upright. As she did, she heard of growling and shouting ahead of her. They sounded like Tikki and Plagg!

Marinette blinked furiously to try and clear her vision, but by the time she could see again, all was still and quiet.

Tikki and Plagg were moaning at Antibug's feet. The hooded blonde casually stepped over them as she stalked towards the fallen princess.

"No true love and no friends can protect you from me this time, Lady- _brat_ ," Antibug quipped wickedly. Then a patch of electric blue energy crackled from her fingertips.

Marinette's eyes widened and she tried to crawl back away from her enemy, but the rock wall prevented her from moving an inch. There was nowhere for her to go; nowhere to hide or shield herself.

Why? Why did it have to come to this?

"Your streak of luck has finally run out," Antibug continued as she charged up the orb of lightning between her palms.

Marinette looked away from the surge of light shooting towards her...

...but nothing happened. No pain, no encompassing darkness... nothing.

But when Marinette inched her eyelids open, something _had_ happened.

A tiny shimmering figure hovered in front of the princess, absorbing Antibug's attack right into her.

There was an ear-deafening crack and a whoosh of air that left an imprint in the surrounding dirt. Then there was silence.

Then the golden queen dropped wordlessly onto the ground like a broken doll.

Disbelief. Realization. Finally, terror.

"NO!" Marinette screamed, her voice carrying out across the mountain top. _NO, NO, NO..._

Tikki and Plagg's little heads popped up instantly at her distressful cry... and both of them stared with unblinking, bulbous eyes.

Marinette scrambled forward, clenching her teeth from the pain in her back, and kneeled beside the royal fairy. The queen stirred slightly before slumping back down, her wings twitching.

Marinette neither said nor did anything. She just crouched there on her hands and knees, looking absolutely shattered. The golden fairy dust, the queen's secret, any chance she had of saving Adrien – gone.

Denial. Sorrow. Anger. Rage.

Marinette stared up at the sneering Antibug with eyes she had never used before. " _You!_ " she snarled with a tone so menacing it made her own bones rattle. Ignoring the ache in her muscles, she charged at her opponent.

But the moment she tried to tackle Antibug, the latter vanished in the blink of an eye... and Marinette's arms closed around thin air.

Low evil giggling sounded behind her. Marinette snapped around but saw nothing.

Then... _SLAM!_

Marinette cried out as something drove hard into her abdomen and she was sent sprawling in the dust.

It only made the princess angrier. "Show yourself, you coward!" she shouted as she struggled to heave herself back up. Her stomach spasmed and she almost bent over, but she ignored it.

More dark laughter, louder this time. "You just don't know when to give up, do you?" came Antibug's voice from somewhere.

Marinette tried to slow her breathing, listening for any sounds of a disturbance in the dirt: a footstep, a twig snapping, a rock shifting...

A rock bounced over to her left, making Marinette turn.

Big mistake – because then something grabbed onto her from her _right_ and twisted her arm behind her. Marinette shrieked, tears welling in her eyes, and tried to rip free. But then an invisible arm wrapped around her neck and squeezed.

Then, the arm materialized... as did the rest of Antibug.

"Allow me to _spell_ it out for you," the assassin growled into Marinette's ear. "You can't beat me... because I've already won! I have everything, and _you_ have nothing!"

Spots danced in Marinette's eyes, and she could feel her entire body going heavy from the combined strain of pain and fatigue. She couldn't breathe anymore. Everything was going dark.

 _Ladybug..._

Marinette gasped. "Adrien..."

He was still there, waiting for her. He was still counting on her.

"Adrikins will sleep forever," Antibug said, obviously thinking Marinette was talking to her. "And the only one with a happy ending... will be _me_!"

Marinette gritted her teeth and struggled harder. _No! I won't give up now! I can't!_

Just then, a strange cat-like " _Raaawwwrrr!_ " sounded... and a tiny black figure collided hard with Antibug's face.

The former queen shrieked and released Marinette.

The princess slumped onto the ground, panting heavily. When she glanced over her shoulder, she was surprised to see Plagg clawing and tearing at Antibug faster than a zipping gnat, leaving tiny red marks all over her face.

"Nobody messes with _my_ friends, Blondie!" the black fairy said as he crawled and flew all around Antibug. She tried to swat him away, but he dodged her every time.

Marinette smiled and crawled onto her hands and knees with a groan. When she looked up, she was met with a second surprise.

The water pouch was lying there in front of her!

The princess's eyes narrowed with resolve and she snatched up the little cantina. There was still a fair of amount of enchanted water left inside.

Meanwhile, Antibug finally got a hold of the annoying Plagg, who let out a startled, "GAK!" as the queen ensnared him in her grasp.

"You filthy little pest!" Antibug snarled as she conjured another fireball in her free hand, her blue eyes burning with sadistic hatred at the hissing black fairy. "I am the queen of this realm now! All of you WILL bow before me!"

Then Marinette said calmly, "Would you like a refreshing drink, Your Majesty?"

She waited until Antibug turned back to her with a perplexed expression. Then, Marinette unleashed the contents of her water pouch at the black-hooded huntress with a good fling.

A ribbon of sparkling water soared out... and splashed Antibug right in the face and chest.

The fireball in her hands immediately extinguished.

Antibug didn't seem to notice as she coughed and sputtered and shook out her soggy hair. In her efforts, she let go of Plagg, who bobbled away while massaging his tiny throat.

Marinette watched apprehensively as Antibug wiped the excess water off her eyes and mouth with disgust.

Then... she laughed. "What were you trying to do?" Antibug chortled with a sneer at Marinette. "Cleanse me to death? How pathetic!" She waved her hand again...

...but this time, there was no fire. No spark. No hint of magic.

Marinette smirked. "Nope," she replied. "Just wash away all your powers."

Antibug's expression shifted from proud to perplexed. She waved her hand again, snapped her fingers, and even clenched her fists. But nothing happened. Her eyes widened slowly, first with shock, then with horror. "No..." she breathed, breathing frantically. "No! This can't be!"

Then... something else happened.

Antibug – no, _Chloe_ – starting changing.

Her skin became saggy and blotted, shifting from peach to yellow and then swampy green. Tiny warts popped out all over her face, and her thin nose grew bigger and fatter. Her shiny, golden hair shrank back into her skull, leaving nothing but dull, tangled patches. Chloe glanced down at her hands, which were now enlarging, and she let out a terrified scream.

Marinette reeled back, covering her mouth. She tried reaching out to Chloe, but Plagg flew over to her and shook his head at her.

Within seconds, Chloe started shrinking. She practically sank into the ground, her hood and clothes covering her completely until she was nothing but a black, bulging bundle. Marinette could hear Chloe's muffled crying and moaning, and in that moment, she felt a pang of sympathy for the murderous queen. _What did I just do?_

The crying ceased and soft hints of panting emitted from the bundle.

Marinette reached out a hesitant hand towards it... and then shot back when a tiny, shrivelled green head with pointed ears and a hideous complexion poked out of the black hood at gaped at the princess. The light-blue eyes were the same.

Marinette's mouth fell open with shock.

A goblin! The water had turned Chloe into a _goblin_!

"But I..." the blunette uttered. "I thought... I didn't..."

Plagg came to her rescue. "Apparently, the water of Lake Nostos does more than just restore a person's true form," he figured with an expressionless look at the shrunken Chloe.

Confusion slowly turned into understanding, and Marinette nodded. "This is who she really was underneath," she said out loud. "A twisted monster with a shrivelled heart."

The new, goblin Chloe threw off her huntress garments – which were clearly too big for her now – and she growled at Marinette with rotten, slimy teeth. She opened her mouth and bellowed, " _Daaaabbbiieavereaaa_!" Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her bulbous hands with a frightened squeak.

Marinette had the same idea as her. "Why can't she speak human, like the other goblins can?" she asked Plagg.

"Don't look at me," Plagg said with a shrug. "Magic is always unpredictable. Maybe she was meant to be more goblin and less human."

The princess stared at Chloe, but her thoughts were elsewhere. Did magic really have a will of its own? Marinette had only meant to take away Chloe's powers, but it seems the enchanted water wanted to take away what was most precious to her as well: her beautiful human form.

At that moment, Chloe's large fat lips quivered, and she let out a gurgling moan of anguish. She fell on her short, stubby knees before Marinette, blubbering like a child – almost as if she was begging.

Marinette couldn't help but pity the creature that had once been a proud, ruthless queen – this girl who had murdered her own father to secure her grip on the throne, hunted Marinette down like an animal, helped Hawkmoth lure the man she loved into a trap, and now hurt her friend.

Tucking the water pouch away, Marinette stepped closer so that she now towered over Chloe, her face slightly scrunched with aversion. "You don't deserve mercy from me, Chloe," she said in a low tone, causing the goblin queen to cringe. "Hawkmoth may have persuaded you to seek revenge, but it was _your_ jealousy towards me and _your_ lust for more power that put you on the path of evil."

Chloe whimpered and crawled backwards away, her pointy ears drooping. Big fat tears streamed down her face.

"You can blame whoever you want," Marinette continued. "Me, Hawkmoth, Theo... but deep down, you know that the only person responsible for your suffering... is yourself. And now, you will have to live with that for the rest of your life."

Plagg eyed the princess curiously, as though it surprised him that she was letting Chloe go after what she did. But Marinette knew that, no matter how angry and broken-hearted she was, she would never kill out of revenge. She'd be no better than Chloe, or Hawkmoth, or anyone who resorted to such methods.

The princess of Dupain-Cheng used her father's royal tone and said to a shattered Chloe, "Leave the three kingdoms alone. If you ever try to come back, I will find you, Chloe. _I will always find you_."

The wind groaned through the air, as though the whole mountain had bared witness to Marinette's promise and offered its support.

Chloe's blue eyes glistened like large glass orbs, but she said nothing. Then, with a shudder of grief and fear, the newly-made goblin hobbled away on her two new large feet and fled down the mountain path. Marinette watched her go until the late-morning mist around the mountain swallowed the green creature whole and she was gone.

Just then, Tikki's frantic voice pulled Marinette from her stupor: "Marinette, Plagg – come quickly!"

Marinette turned to where the little red fairy was waving at them from beside the crystal pillars, where she stood guard over a limp, golden figure.

The princess's anger melted back into distress, and she rushed over as fast as her aching body would allow her.

The golden queen's skin and hair were a deathly shade lighter, and that sweet, luminous aura was fading away like the twinkling of a far-away star. A large blotch of blackened skin sat on her chest and abdomen, like she had been held over a flame and left to burn. Her breathing was faint and erratic, barely louder than a whisper.

Marinette didn't need to be an expert in fairies to know what was happening to the queen: she was dying.

Her chest suddenly became heavy. "This is all my fault," she muttered as she kneeled down and gently scooped the queen into her hands.

Tikki shook her head at her. "It was _her_ choice, Marinette," she said. "We fairies can live for up to a thousand years, but even then our lives barely mean anything. The fact that she wanted to risk her life for a human...That is beyond fairy nature." She sniffled and offered a sad smile. "What she did was the bravest, most unselfish thing any of us have ever done."

Plagg looked more guilty than sad as he hovered down next to his partner. "And to think," he said, "I called her a traitor. And "silver"..."

A faint breath escaped the golden queen's lips, almost like a laugh. "I forgive you, cat," she wheezed, "except for the "silver" part."

Marinette straightened with relief. "Your Majesty," she whispered softly.

The queen's eyelids fluttered open, and those yellow irises warmed at the sight of the human princess. "My dear child..." she sighed with a smile, until she winced from pain.

Marinette glanced down at the queen's wound... and then an idea came to her. "The water!" She reached back with one hand and ripped off her pouch, but then her heart sank when she felt no water sloshing around inside. In her haste to stop Chloe, she had used it all up. Marinette grunted and threw the cantina away before looking back down at the queen. "Okay, don't panic. I'll head down to the lake and fetch some more. Just hang in there! Tikki, you look after –"

"No," the queen interjected firmly, though it clearly hurt to do so. She grabbed onto the end of Marinette's thumb and grasped it tightly. "Don't... waste your efforts on me. My strength... is nearly gone."

Marinette shook her head boldly. "There has to be another way!" she insisted, though she was beginning to know in her heart there wasn't.

The queen smiled at her again, blinking as though struggling to stay awake. "You honour me, Princess Marinette," she said. "Your kindness and courage... will never be forgotten amongst fairykind." She then glanced over at the two lesser fairies. "Tikki, if you would... bring me the princess's ring."

The red fairy nodded and flew up to the central crystal pillar, which was now glowing with pale blue light. Tikki picked up the emerald ring and hovered back down to show it to the queen.

The royal fairy reached out shakily and pressed her hand against the large gem, which was the size of a melon compared to her. "I have... a little bit of magic... for one last spell," the queen sighed as she closed her eyes and began to glow.

Marinette watched with a parted mouth as tiny flecks of golden light flowed from the queen and into the emerald of her father's ring.

The queen sagged back into Marinette's palm. "There," she said to the princess. "It's enchanted now. The closer you get to Adrien, the brighter the gem will glow." She winced again and stiffened before gasping, "Find your beloved, Princess Marinette. Only you... can set him free."

Once again, Marinette couldn't stop herself from crying. "But how?" she asked, her voice cracking. "You said there was some kind of magic inside me, but it's never helped anybody!" She stifled a soft sob and she hung her head down. "I can't save anyone – not you, not Adrien..."

Tikki and Plagg exchanged a sorrowful glance, the former tearing up, and the latter looking like he wanted to eat away his misery.

But then the queen spoke again, "All living things have magic in their hearts... and it comes in many forms. You don't need me, my dear... or magic dust or water... All you need... is Adrien. The kind of love that you both share... is the greatest magic of all..."

Marinette looked back at the royal fairy in her hands, her glistening face reflecting the fading pulses of light emitting from the queen. She didn't know why, but a weird, light feeling appeared amongst all that pain inside her chest. Was that magical? Or was it just some small smidgen of hope her optimistic self was fighting to hold onto?

Then Alya's words from the Seven Bandits' cottage came back to Marinette: the only way to beat their enemies was to prove that they cannot be broken... no matter what.

Marinette sniffled and smiled at the queen – this human-hating fairy who had sacrificed herself to save a human she believed had been worth saving.

The golden queen shivered and inhaled shakily. "Go to him," she whispered so quietly now that even Tikki and Plagg barely heard it. "He will need you too... in the battle to come..." The queen's eyes gleamed once last time and she sighed, "Follow the light."

Then her yellow eyes closed. Her head slumped to the side. Her wings twitched no more.

But her golden smile remained.

And in a brilliant flash, her body dissolved into shimmering golden sparkles, which shot up into the sky like a dozen tiny fireflies.

Marinette couldn't hide her awed expression as the last remnants of the Queen of the Fairies faded away from her fingers. All the while, Tikki turned away and sobbed onto Plagg's shoulder. The black fairy looked a little taken aback, but instead of pulling away he nuzzled against her and held her close.

Marinette stared up at the sky, no longer crying but no less dismal.

Minutes passed. The air grew deeply quiet and cold. Not even the warm sunlight could stave off the chill. And still, Marinette sat there on her knees, gazing up into the sky and offering the golden queen a prayer of thanks and remembrance, as was the Dupain-Cheng custom.

Finally, the princess turned to face her remaining fairy friends. They were now staring at her, and they now both held the emerald ring out towards her.

Marinette held out her open hand, and Tikki and Plagg dumped the ring into it.

At once, the gem lit up with its own, yellowish-green light – faint, but warm and comforting.

Marinette stared at it for a moment. This was the ring that had brought her and Adrien together from the beginning... and now, it was going to do so once again. Perhaps magic _did_ have a will of its own.

The princess closed her hand around the pulsing jewel. Her grief remained, but her resolve made it easier to bare. "If what the queen said is true," Marinette said out loud, "then maybe I _can_ free Adrien from Hawkmoth's curse on my own. And if I can't, I'll find another way." She glanced up at her friends. "And I won't stop until I do."

Tikki nodded at her proudly. "We'll go with you, Marinette," she stated, "no matter where that path takes you. You're our friend, and friends always help each other."

Marinette smiled at the red fairy warmly. Then she raised an eyebrow at Plagg.

The ghost of a smirk appeared on the black fairy's little fanged mouth. "It _would_ be nice to see Adrien again," he said. "Even when, you know... he's... asleep..." He paused, glanced off to the side, and then shook his head. "Just... same as what Tikki said. About the "friend" thing, I mean."

Marinette couldn't argue with that. She slowly stood up and brushed herself off. "Then we have no time to lose," she declared as she slipped the glowing ring onto her thumb. "Let's get back to the Troll Bridge."

* * *

Night fell over the fairy forest, along with a hush of mournful silence.

But once Marinette had reunited with her black mare at the bottom of the mountain and set off with her two fairy companions, the singing began.

It was softer and deeper than what Marinette had heard last time – a more haunting melody that contained many grim, heart-rending voices. Marinette knew they were the fairies, watching from afar and offering their own words of mourning.

It was so beautiful and so dark and so sad that the princess couldn't help but shed a few extra tears for them. "I'm so sorry", she whispered into the night. Even her horse looked miserable, but it trotted forward obediently along the path to the Troll Bridge.

Tikki and Plagg didn't join in with the rueful choir, but they occasionally nodded to invisible eyes Marinette could not see. They both remained adamantly at the princess's side, and Marinette was more than grateful for their companionship. No one deserved to be alone this fateful day.

No one... except Chloe, maybe. Wherever she was now, Marinette prayed the former Queen of Bourgeois was listening to the fairies' lament, so that she would finally know just how deep of a wound her wickedness had inflicted. With any luck, Chloe would one day find the will to turn her back completely on the evil queen she had become, and that in turn would help her regain her humanity. One could only hope.

At last, the Troll Bridge came into view. Marinette offered a silent farewell to the beautiful fairy lands she had grown to love, and she turned away just as her black mare stepped onto the cobblestone bridge.

That familiar ripple of air hit them, along with a shocking wave of cold.

Marinette gasped and pulled her red and black-spotted cloak around her.

There was more snow than there had been two days ago. Every inch of rock and every tree branch was covered with it. The sky above was no longer blue, but pearly white with tints of pink and yellow. The air was so frigid that Marinette's bones started to frost over.

Winter had come at last.

"Brrrrrrr!" Tikki shivered, her pupils thinning. "Is the human realm always this cold?"

"N-N-Nah," Plagg responded, his teeth chattering. "We j-j-just happened t-t-to arrive at the w-w-worst s-s-season of the y-y-year."

Marinette smiled and slipped on her gloves, making sure to put her emerald ring on overtop. "You guys can hitch a ride in my vest," she offered. "It'll be a few days ride at most, and it's only going to get colder."

"D-D-Don't need to ask me t-t-twice," Plagg said before zipping into the princess's vest pocket.

Tikki frowned down at him. "You have fur!" she whined as she flew over and squeezed herself next to her pocket-hogging partner. "Stop acting like a wuss and scooch over!"

Marinette found herself laughing at the sight of the two fairies fighting for warmth in that one little pocket. "We're not going anywhere until you two stop bickering," she warned with a smirk.

Tikki and Plagg ceased their struggling and peered up at the blunette with innocent grins.

With that settled, Marinette gripped her reigns and took one quick look at the ring. The green gem pulsed with steady light. _The closer you get to Adrien_ , the golden queen had said _, the brighter the gem will glow_.

Marinette thanked her once again in the back of her mind. Then, she dug her feet into her horse's sides and shouted, "Hyah!"

The mare whinnied and galloped over the bridge and back into the Enchanted Forest, which was now glittering like giant spires of pure, ice-like crystal.

But Marinette didn't bother to stop and stare at the wonderment around her. She had a prince to find and save.

Magic or no magic, nothing and no one was going to stop her from trying.

 _I'm coming, Kitty._


	24. 4:6: Kiss and Tell

**PART 4:**

 _ **Chapter 6:**_

 _ **Kiss and Tell**_

It snowed the entire way, some days harder than most. The days were cold and miserable, and the nights were worse. A storm blew in on the third day and made it down-right impossible to see.

Still, Marinette rode on, using nothing but the light of her father's now-enchanted ring to guide her.

At least the days and nights weren't spent alone. Tikki and Plagg were good company, despite their constant bickering and their complaints about the weather and ordinariness of the human world. Tikki had no idea that trees and flowers here didn't glow, and the ominous nights spooked her. But occasionally Marinette would enlighten the red fairy with stories about famous rulers and heroes from her people's history. Plagg was mostly interested in sharing his own dreary tales about his life as an ordinary cat, both at Castle Agreste and in the wild.

But every few hours, Marinette would return to her own thoughts. She had travelled down this road before... metaphorically speaking. Every time she did, it was to find something she had lost.

 _Is this how it's going to be for the rest of our lives? We take turns finding each other... only to be pulled apart again and again?_

 _We_ will _be together. And when we are, we'll_ stay _together. Always. And nothing will ever tear me from you again. I know it. I believe it._

That had been her last conversation spoken with Adrien, when they had once again been denied their long-awaited reunion. At night, while she would try to fall asleep, Marinette would think back to that moment, just to hear her feline thief's words. She wanted nothing more than to hear his voice again, to feel his comforting embrace, to see him smiling at her. It felt like ages ago when they had last held each other in the part of the forest near Bruel, on the day they had shared their very first kiss.

But remembering Adrien didn't give Marinette cause to grieve. Rather, it gave her the strength she needed to get through the gruelling days spent on horseback in the frigid weather. Better yet, whenever they came at a crossroads, Marinette would hold out the emerald ring and find out which direction caused it to glow the brightest. She knew without a doubt which path was the one to take.

Marinette soon realized the ring was guiding her down south towards the centre of the realm where the three kingdoms joined together, commonly referred to as the "Eye of the Gods". According to legend, it was a renowned peace summit where kings and queens would go to solidify transactions and agreements "under the watchful gaze of the heavens". The valley was also a place of sanctuary, where denizens of either kingdom would go in times of crisis.

 _Maybe that's where Bridgette is now_ , Marinette thought hopefully. _Maybe the kingdoms are gathering at the Eye._

Only two things gave the princess and the fairies cause to worry during the hasty journey.

The first was when they spotted squads of black, armoured Akuma Guards riding out in the distance. Since Marinette's red cloak made her an easy target, the group had to hide and wait for them to pass on and out of sight. Only then would they continue on, keeping their eyes and ears open for any movement or sound.

The second thing that unnerved the companions was when they noticed a thick column of dark smoke rising over the canopy one evening. Marinette urged her horse towards the source, but then she and the fairies were greeted by a horrendous sight: an entire village burning away like dry kindling, leaving nothing but blackened foundations and scorched imprints in the melted snow.

Marinette personally searched the area for survivors, but found none to her dismay. Tikki assured her there weren't any bodies either, so it was possible the villagers had escaped the disaster. Marinette hoped with all her heart Tikki was right.

On the other hand, the destruction of the village confirmed Chloe's declaration back at the Fairy Shrine, about Hawkmoth raising an army to conquer the entire realm. Marinette wondered with a pang of anxiety if her sister Bridgette had succeeded in gathering the kingdoms together in time.

Her question was answered on the fifth day, when the weather finally improved.

The sun broke free of the snow-ridden clouds, and the surrounding hills sparkled like waves of diamonds. It lifted the companions' spirits, and they set off once again with a bit more enthusiasm.

Within an hour or two, they reached a ridge overlooking a great valley. Just a few miles down was a jade-coloured lake surrounded by a blanket of thick, coniferous balsam trees. The lake itself looked like a gleaming green eye gazing upward towards the sky. Even in the dead of winter, it remained unfrozen – almost like magic.

 _The Eye of the Gods_.

Several tiny pillars of smoke appeared in wavy tendrils along the valley. _Campfires_ , Marinette realized. But who were the campers: Akumas, or allies?

Tikki and Plagg poked their heads out of the princess's vest pocket curiously. Marinette put a finger to her lips and removed her bow from her back with steady hands. Her horse, however, kept stamping the ground and snorting angrily, as though she was sensing danger.

"Shh," Marinette whispered to both the mare and the fairies as she dismounted and eased an arrow from her quiver. "We're not alone."

Plagg flew right out into the open forest and sniffed at the air. Then he frowned. "That's odd," he murmured with squinted green eyes. "It smells like someone's baking apple pie."

"Apple pie?" Tikki asked unconvinced as she flew up next to him. "Come on, Plagg, it's just..." She inhaled a tiny whiff, and blinked with surprise. "Wait... something _does_ smell good! But it smells more like peaches!"

Keeping her focus on her surroundings, Marinette took a deep breath of air. The mingling scents of cinnamon, firewood and spiced rum filled her nose. She gasped with realization. "I know that scent! It's –!"

Movement in the trees.

Tikki and Plagg cried out as several men and women in uniform emerged out of hiding and aimed at them with steel-tipped arrows. Marinette snapped to them, her own arrow ready, until she saw the archers were all donned in the same dark green cloaks of Dupain-Cheng.

Something small, red and menacing leapt out of the bushes and growled at the companions, amber eyes glowing.

Plagg yelled, "AH!" and dove for cover behind Marinette.

At the same time, Tikki squealed, "Monster!" and scurried after her partner.

Marinette lowered her bow with a rambunctious cackle. "That's not a monster," she said with a gesture to the vixen. "That's just my friend Alya."

The creature blinked at her and retracted her fangs. Then her bushy, white-tipped tail began swishing back and forth with excitement.

The archers stared at the princess with surprise, and then a man with black stubble all over his face exclaimed, "Hold your fire – it's Princess Marinette!"

Marinette placed a hand over her heart in a salute. "May the wisdom of our ancestors guide you," she said.

A brown-haired woman smiled at her and repeated the gesture as she got down on one knee. "And may the strength of our people protect you, my princess," she completed.

The rest of her squad dropped to their knees. Tikki and Plagg poked out from behind Marinette cautiously, and their fear slightly lessened.

Marinette glanced down at Alya just as there was a flash of light and a human appeared where a vixen once stood.

The princess was surprised to see the leader of the Seven Bandits dressed entirely in a soldier's uniform: a dark-purple tunic and matching long skirt overtop of a chainmail dress, a belt heavy with throwing knives, and a fur-rimmed purple cloak. Alya's auburn hair was tied back in a braided crown around her head, making her look less like a common thief and more like a noble fighter... with glasses.

Tikki gasped. "She's a shape-shifter!"

Plagg whistled. "She's hot."

"And taken," Alya pointed out before turning to Marinette with a relieved grin and pulling the princess into a hug. "About time you showed up, girl. You had the rest of us worried sick."

Marinette pulled away with an apologetic shrug. "You look... um..." she began to say, but then wondered if "different" was too common a word for a magic-wielder. So instead she said, "Like a warrior."

Alya looked her up and down with half a frown. "And you look like an Akuma in that outfit," she said. "If you hadn't said my name, I wouldn't have recognised you."

Marinette frowned. "The red cloak wasn't obvious?"

"Oh, right... I never told you: I can only see in black and white while I'm a fox."

"Good to know."

After introductions were made all around, the stubble-faced archer stepped forward. "We've eagerly awaited your return, Your Highness," he said to Marinette. "Princess Bridgette informed us of your mission to the north."

Marinette's heart elated. _So she's okay_. "Is she here with you?" she asked.

"Yes, my princess, along with the king and queen," the man replied. "They've gathered a great host here in the valley, and so has King Theo of Bourgeois. Captain Alya has been helping us defend this ridge from any spies or assassins the Sorcerer King sends our way."

Marinette could barely speak. " _Captain_ Alya?" she breathed, glancing back at her friend. That's when she realized the redhead had a more hardened exterior, like she had been forged out of flaming steel and left to cool. It was a demeanour Marinette had seen in every Dupain-Cheng soldier after they had completed rigorous months of training.

And then there was King Theo – _king_ , not prince.

And then there were Marinette's parents. How had Bridgette managed to cross the entire realm from Agreste to reach them – and convince them to bring their forces here to the Eye – in so little time?

Suspicion gnawed at the princess, and she asked bluntly, "How long has it been since I left for the Forbidden Mountains?"

Alya blinked at her confusedly, as if the answer was obvious. "Just over two months ago, I think," she said.

A few seconds passed before Marinette actually registered those words, and her jaw fell to the ground. "Two _months_?!" she exclaimed in disbelief. "No way! I was only up in the mountains for two _days_!"

Now Alya was really concerned. "Mari, I'm not kidding around," she said firmly. "That's _exactly_ when Bridgette came to us at the cottage, shortly after we found Adrien."

Marinette tried to take in deep breaths... and then snapped to Tikki and Plagg. "How is this possible?" she demanded. "How did only two _days_ in the fairy lands turn into two _months_ in the human world?!"

"Why do you keep asking _me_ these kinds of questions?" Plagg whined. "Do I look like I have the answers to everything involving magic? You forget – I was once just a regular cat."

Tikki rolled her eyes with a groan and hovered to Marinette with a sheepish expression. "Time flows differently in the human and fairy worlds, Marinette," she explained. "Days in one place can mean weeks in the other... or months... or even _years_. I have no idea how, but that might also explain why the seasons are different in both realms too."

Marinette rubbed her temples with her fingertips. Then she took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "Okay, well... that's not _exactly_ what I was expecting to hear," she admitted irritably, "but... it's better than nothing."

"What does it matter?" Alya asked with a playful snort. "Days, months, years... The important thing is you're here _now_."

Marinette turned back to her, looking uncomfortable. "I just hoped I'd get back sooner," she said. "I heard Hawkmoth was creating an army of sorcerers – Akumas that can use _magic_."

"We know," Alya said gravely. "Juleka has been reporting to us on all her findings, and none of them are good. Several villages have been burned down already, and we've had to evacuate the rest and bring the people here for their own safety."

Marinette thought back to the burning village she and the fairies stumbled upon... and her core hardened with fury. "Hawkmoth..." she grumbled. "Even with Adrien cursed, he still won't leave us alone." She looked back to Alya, her expression softening. "What about Adrien? You said you found him?"

Alya nodded. "You have no idea how relieved we all were when Bridgette told us he wasn't actually dead, and that you were on your way to find a cure to wake him up. Nino almost broke down in tears. Don't ask him – he'll just deny it." Her face lit up with anticipation, and Marinette bit her lip, knowing what was coming. "So... Did you find it? The fairy dust?"

The blunette's eyes saddened and she shook her head. "I tried," she murmured.

Alya's smile slipped, and she lowered her head. "So... that's it?" she asked. "He'll never wake up again?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure," Marinette admitted. "That's why I'm looking for him." She held up her hand with the emerald ring, which was now glowing hotter and brighter than ever.

The Dupain-Cheng archers gaped at the sight.

Alya glanced between the magic ring and the princess, eyes wide. Then she smiled again with something that looked like optimism. "Well, look no further. He's here too."

* * *

It was strange watching Alya give commands to the soldiers as they escorted Marinette down into the valley. What was stranger was that they actually heeded her without question, as though they didn't care she had been born a commoner, or that she had magical blood. _Alya must've made a good impression on them_ , Marinette thought with a smile. Then again, the redhead always seemed like she was made to be a leader, no matter what the profession was.

The deeper into the thick woods they went, the more people Marinette saw. Only a quarter of them were soldiers – all of whom baring either Dupain-Cheng green, Bourgeois blue, or Agreste purple. The rest of them were civilians: peasants and nobles, men and women, children and elderly.

What surprised Marinette the most was that the people were _mingling_ together – setting up tents, tending to the sick and wounded, sharpening their tools, gathering firewood... or just talking. Even the best-dressed lords and ladies were offering their services wherever they could, unafraid to get their hands dirty.

Social status meant nothing in times of war.

 _War_. The word sent a shiver through Marinette. She had spent her whole life training in the ways of her mother's people, yet she still never imagined she would take part in something as large and intimidating as a full-scale war. Now the princess was starting to wish she had paid more attention in military history.

As she, the fairies and Alya's squad manoeuvred their way through the camp, a few dirt-streaked faces peeked out of the rows of refugee tents and gaped at Marinette. Children pointed at her excitedly; women gazed up at her with bright smiles and hands over their hearts; men bowed their heads in respect, often sparing the princess a proud smile or two.

Tikki and Plagg waved at a few of them, and there were several gasps of surprise and bewilderment. Not surprising, seeing as fairies are technically supposed to be nothing but a mere legend. No human was used to being proven wrong.

Soon enough, everyone was scrambling to get a glimpse of Marinette and her little companions, calling out to them, waving, or just watching them pass on by. Whatever the case, Marinette could see the same thing in all of their eyes: hope.

Marinette smiled at them all with gratitude, and little by little that same hope was beginning to awaken inside her.

The attention certainly made Plagg happy. "I could get used to this," he mused as he flashed a smile at a pair of peasant children.

Tikki rolled her eyes with a giggle.

It wasn't until the entourage reached the centre of the mass of tents when a familiar, heart-warming voice rose out over all others: "Mari!"

The blunette looked up ahead... and smiled.

She wasted no time in reigning in her horse, flying out of her saddle, and rushing over to embrace her older sister.

Bridgette laughed into Marinette's hair and squeezed her. "You're back," she said with a choke. "Next time you go on some crazy, month-long adventure, at least write a letter or something."

Marinette giggled. "Sure, I'll just see if there are any feather pens and ink lying around in the middle of nowhere," she said sarcastically.

Her sister nudged her in the shoulder, her matching blue eyes bright with relief and amusement.

Then another familiar voice shouted, "Hey, princess!"

Marinette barely had time to register Nino's presence before the huntsman practically tackled her and lifted her off her feet.

Then Rose was there, squealing with delight. Kim pulled Marinette into a bear hug. Nathaniel was gentler, but no less happy. Max kissed her on both cheeks. Juleka was trying not to cry. Finally, Ivan and Mylene embraced Marinette together.

The young princess almost cried herself as she stared happily into the faces of her stalwart friends; her merry band of thieves; her trusted companions. And now, apparently, lieutenants of the royal army of Agreste – all dressed in the same purple uniforms and bearing arms of their very own.

 _I_ have _been gone for too long_ , Marinette thought with a laugh.

Tikki and Plagg introduced themselves. Rose was more than thrilled to see real-life fairies, and Max merely stood there looking dumbfounded, probably trying to calculate the odds of such an encounter as this. Nino merely shrugged the whole thing off – he _was_ dating a shape-shifter, after all.

Marinette's eyes caught someone watching her from outside her circle of friends.

Truth be told, she wasn't that all happy to see him.

Everyone quieted as the regal young man stepped forward.

Marinette dipped into a stiff curtsy and uttered, "Your Majesty."

King Theo regarded her with tense brown eyes.

Marinette could feel ten heated gazes shooting past her and towards her ex-fiancé. Nino and Kim were no doubt _subtly_ challenging him. Alya was probably shooting him one of her glowing-eyed glares.

Marinette continued to watch Theo coolly. While she _had_ acted rashly by leaving him the day of their wedding, she wasn't ashamed of it one bit.

But... Theo _had_ tried to stop his own sister from executing Marinette. And, according to Alya, he _had_ helped Adrien and the team apprehend Chloe when their need was dire. And Theo was here now, standing _with_ Dupain-Cheng rather than against it.

At last, the young king bowed low before her and said, "I owe you an apology."

Marinette's furrowed brow eased up a little.

Theo straightened, and she could see the genuine guilt in his eyes now. "The marriage contract between us had been Chloe's idea, and my father only made it official," he said. "I was convinced our union would be good for our kingdoms. And all that time..." He swallowed hard. "I was oblivious – to my sister's plans, _and_ to the fact that you were never truly happy. I just..." He cleared his throat and forced a tiny smile. "What I'm trying to say is... I'm glad at least one of us dug up the courage to run away in the end."

There were a few soft sighs behind Marinette, as though everyone had been holding their breaths.

The corner of Marinette's mouth lifted up. "I forgive you, Theo," she said. "And I'm glad at least one of us is capable of standing up to their older sister."

"Hey!" Bridgette whined, making the others snigger.

Theo rubbed the back of his head with half a laugh. "Yes, well... I suppose I am too." Then he frowned. "I just hope Chloe isn't causing trouble elsewhere."

The image of a whimpering, blue-eyed goblin appeared in Marinette's thoughts, and she quickly shook it off.

Then Plagg boasted confidently, "Don't sweat over it. I have a feeling she'll _change_ for the better."

"Shh, Plagg!" Tikki scolded.

"What? I didn't say anything!"

Just then, a deep, hearty voice spoke out from behind Marinette. It was calling her name. The princess's heart skipped a beat... and she turned around.

Her friends parted away, revealing two figures dressed in green and black fighting leathers. The first was a tall, broad-chested man with a brown moustache and soft green eyes. Beside him stood a small, dainty woman with the silver eyes of a mountain lion and a smile as warm as the sun. At first glance, there could be no denial that Bridgette and Marinette were her daughters.

Marinette stepped over to the couple, her lip trembling. "Papa," she said softly. "Mama."

King Thomas and Queen Sabine stared at her as though she had returned from the dead.

Then Marinette smiled and said, "Before you ask, the answer's yes – this _is_ my old red cloak."

Her mother let out something between a laugh and a sob. "Oh, Marinette!" she cried as she rushed forward. Her husband did the same.

Then Bridgette joined in, and the whole family just stood there for what seemed like minutes, saying nothing and holding each other close. Now _everyone_ was watching them – Nino, Alya, Theo, their friends, the soldiers, and the refugees. But Marinette didn't care. She had found her family.

Well, _almost_ all of them, anyway.

Finally, Thomas pulled away to wipe his sopping eyes. "Thank god you're all right!" he breathed with the tone of a father rather than the tone of a king. "After you fled the wedding, not even our best hunters could find you."

Sabine nodded with a sniffle. "Then one day, we received a letter from Bourgeois," she said. "We feared the worst; we thought Chloe had taken you hostage." She smiled and cupped her youngest daughter's face in her hand. "But the letter had been sent by Prince Adrien – _your_ Adrien. He told us everything, sweetie: how you two fell in love, where Hawkmoth was keeping you, and what he was willing to give up to save you."

Thomas placed his large hand on Marinette's little shoulder. "We owe that boy a debt we can never repay," he said solemnly.

Marinette felt a slight twinge of guilt in her gut. But she lifted her chin anyway and finally asked the question she had been holding back for far too long: "Where is he?"

* * *

Snow fell from the sky in tiny, glittering clusters – like tears from the heavens.

They fell upon Marinette's cheeks as she entered a small pocket of the forest, where the canopy opened up to allow daylight inside.

Four helmeted soldiers with metal pikes stood guard around a small hill, where something large and cylindrical rested in the centre. It looked like a log, but it had been intricately carved by a skilled craftsman. Delicate wooden veins surrounded it in beautiful waves, giving it the appearance of a cocoon.

But as Marinette stepped closer, she noticed light gleaming off the top half of the log. Her breath caught when she saw that underneath the wooden waves on top was a long sheet of transparent glass.

It wasn't a log – it was a coffin.

And through that glass cover, the princess saw Adrien.

Her throat bobbed and she rushed forward, ignoring the mournful looks of her family, her friends, Tikki and Plagg, and all the other people who had followed her here.

Marinette reached the coffin and peered in desperately at the face of her beloved thief.

So peaceful and calm, with skin as pale and flawless as the moon, and golden hair that never lost its luster... Marinette had never seen Adrien so beautiful.

Or so princely. He no longer wore the black thief leathers. Now, he donned a white ruffled tunic with frilly cuffs and black pants. Overtop of the tunic was a bright red jacket – as bright and red as Marinette's cloak – adorned with golden thread and buttons. A large cloak of soft, deep-purple velvet lay underneath Adrien like a protective blanket.

But as Marinette looked over him, she saw there was no life in those lips, no blood in those cheeks, and no twitch in those hands that now lay folded across his chest. He just lay there inside the hollow log, unmoving and undisturbed.

Frozen in an eternal, ageless sleep – just like his mother before him.

Marinette laid both her hands on the glass cover. Her eyes burned with tears, and her lip trembled.

She had finally found Adrien, just like she had promised she would from the very beginning. And still, he was beyond her reach.

Marinette's eyes fell to Adrien's clasped hands, and she paused. Tucked gently in between those lifeless fingers, right over where his now-lifeless heart would be... was the princess's lucky charm.

Even at the end, Adrien had kept it with him.

A choked sob escaped her, and Marinette leaned against the coffin, resting her forehead on the cool glass.

She felt something small pat her on the head, then another something on her shoulder. It was Tikki and Plagg – the former resting her large head in the princess's hair, the latter staring mournfully at the boy who had once been his owner.

Over her own silent crying, Marinette could hear the weeping of others behind her. When she finally glanced back, she saw that no one was standing alone. Nino had an arm around Alya, and both had their heads lowered. Ivan held Mylene, Nathaniel held Juleka, Max held Rose, and Kim had a comforting hand on Bridgette's shoulder. Theo and his personal guard bowed their heads in respect. Thomas and Sabine huddled close together, never taking their eyes off their distraught daughter. Everywhere Marinette looked, people were leaning on each other for support and comfort in this time of sadness – from the hardest soldier to the most ragged peasant.

Marinette stared at them all for a moment. Then at Tikki and Plagg. Then back at Adrien.

Her brow furrowed, and she snapped up to the four men guarding the coffin. "Open it," she ordered sharply.

One of the soldiers was brave enough to speak up, but his tone was gentle. "I'm sorry, Your Highness – he's gone."

 _No_ , Marinette thought with a sniffle as she looked back down at Adrien. _He'll never be gone, not as long as I'm here._

But what could she do? The golden queen had said she could save him, but how? What sort of powerful magic could a simple, second-born princess accomplish?

In that moment of doubt, Marinette recalled the royal fairy's words: _The kind of love that you both share is the greatest magic of all._

Then, Tikki was whispering in the princess's ear, "Trust your heart, Marinette. Do what you feel is right."

The blunette blinked away her tears. She felt for the numbing ache inside her, searching for a way to soothe it; searching for the answer she never thought she'd find.

And then, like the first gleam of a sunrise on the horizon, she saw it.

 _The kind of love we share..._

They had chosen to save each other on the journey to retrieve Marinette's ring.

Adrien had risked exposure to go and see her at the masquerade ball, and she had risked her own marriage to go and find him.

Marinette had been willing to die for him when he had been turned into an Akuma, and in that moment he came back to her.

Adrien had sacrificed himself because he believed that _her_ life and _her_ freedom was more important than his, and Marinette put herself in mortal danger because she believed she could bring him back.

 _True love, not matter how futile it seems, can never be broken._

Could it really be? Was it even possible?

Whatever the case, Marinette knew exactly what to do.

She glanced up at the soldier who had spoken to her directly. "At least let me say goodbye to him," she insisted softly.

The guard regarded her for a moment – not with scrutiny, but with respect and understanding. Then he nodded to his companions.

All together, the four men grabbed both ends of the heavy glass cover and lifted it away.

Now Marinette could see Adrien fully. Snowflakes landed on his face, and for a moment they looked like fresh tears.

The princess stood on her tiptoes and leaned over her rogue prince. She reached up and brushed bits of his golden hair away from his brow. She pressed her other hand over Adrien's, grasping it and her lucky charm all together.

Finally, she said what her heart yearned to say for a long time: "I love you, Kitty."

Marinette closed her eyes, leaned forward, and kissed her princely thief right on the lips.

 _I will always love you._

Suddenly, there was a flash of rainbow light and a burst of wind that swept across the entire valley.

Then time itself slowed to nothing but a heartbeat.

* * *

"I love you, Kitty."

Deep in the bowels of the cursed nightmare, Adrien opened his eyes.

That was _her_!

She was here – his princess, his Ladybug. She had found him.

 _Thump..._

Wait... What was that?

 _Thump, thump..._

The tendrils of darkness ensnaring him hissed, as though they were being threatened.

 _Thump-thump, Thump-thump..._

That sound... It was getting stronger.

And... That sparkling light up above him. Where had that come from?

 _THUMP-THUMP, THUMP-THUMP..._

Adrien gasped. That sound... was coming from _him_! He pressed a hand to his chest. It pulsed beneath his fingers. His heart was beating again!

And the more it did, the brighter and warmer the light grew – like the sun pushing back the night. The tendrils drew away fearfully, unfurling like soft ribbons and leaving Adrien floating alone in a sea of grey.

He felt so light, so warm... so _alive_! Hope and wonderment turned into anticipation. He was waking up!

Adrien beamed and swam up with all his might towards the blinding star, where his lady awaited him.

Then he felt something like wood against his back, tiny cold flecks on his face, and soft lips upon his own.

Air filled his lungs.

Light enveloped him.

* * *

Time resumed once again.

Several startled cries sounded all around Marinette as she pulled away from Adrien, blinking with surprise.

 _What just happened? That wave... Was it magic?_

The moment the wave passed, sunlight broke through the clouds and poured in through the trees, bathing the snow in pure, warm gold. It was still snowing, but now the flakes seemed less like tears and more like falling stars.

And the moment Marinette's lips left Adrien's...

He gasped, like he had been holding his breath for far too long... and he opened his eyes.

Those brilliant green things looked up and saw her.

Now Marinette was the one gasping.

Then Tikki and Plagg. And Nino and Alya. And Bridgette. And Kim and Max. And Rose and Juleka and Nathaniel. And Theo. And Marinette's parents. And the four guards. Within seconds, every single living soul watching them was reeling with delightful shock.

Adrien panted steadily, staring up at Marinette with a gaze of realization, relief, happiness, and love. He smiled at her... with that same, enormous, heart-stopping, cat-like grin she remembered.

Then Adrien reached up with sleepy hand, cupped her cheek, and said, "I love you too... Ladybug."

Marinette's mouth hung open; her bluebell eyes the widest they had ever been. She could feel Adrien's heart hammering beneath both their hands, and she could see colour returning to his face. He was breathing again. He was awake. He called her "Ladybug".

The kiss worked.

 _It worked!_

The magic inside her heart... was the magic of _true love_!

Shock turned to unwavering joy, and Marinette let out a shivering laugh and grasped Adrien's hand against her cheek, savouring the softness and returning warmth of his touch. She was crying again, but it was a good kind of crying.

"You're back!" she bawled happily.

Her thief lifted himself into a sitting position, and he raised a cocky eyebrow at her. "Did you ever doubt I would be?" he asked, not sounding the least bit unnerved.

Marinette giggled awkwardly, looked over him, and then replied with a shrug, "Truthfully... the glass coffin gave me pause."

Adrien chuckled and brushed away the tears from her eyes. "I knew you'd find me, my lady," he said with loving pride.

Marinette wrapped her arms around him. "And I'm never letting you out of my sight again, you stupid cat," she blubbered.

He hugged her back, fiercer and stronger than ever, and the princess didn't remember the last time she had ever felt more certain of anything – or felt more wonderful – in all her life.

She heard Queen Sabine exclaim with awe, "It's a miracle!"

"No," Bridgette corrected her mother happily. "It's True Love's Kiss."

Tikki twirled through the air with a squeal of joy. At the same time, Plagg punched his paws through the air with a triumphant, "WHA-HOO!"

Soon enough, there was plenty of cheering to go around. Men raised their fists in victory, women cried and hugged their loved ones, and children danced around laughing.

And not just them either. Marinette heard the blubbering cries of Nino and Kim, the shuddering gasps of Alya, Juleka and Mylene, the delightful squeals of Rose, and the relived laughter of Max and Ivan.

All the while, Marinette closed her eyes and let out a happy sigh against Adrien's neck. He returned the gesture, his breath sending a resounding pulse through her core.

He was back. They both were.

They were finally home.

* * *

Adrien was all hugged-out by the time he finally got a chance to steal Ladybug for some quality alone time.

By then, evening had fallen, and the whole camp was celebrating with shared bonfires and music and laughter. No decision or declaration had been made yet, but there were already talks about marching against Lord Hawkmoth and taking back Castle Agreste. Even the commoners – men and women alike – declared their intentions to fight.

Adrien knew why: the people of Agreste had seen their rightful king come back to life, when all seemed lost. They saw that something as immaterial and innocuous as love could dispel the Sorcerer King's evil magic. They saw there was strength to be found in the most unlikely people.

If one brave woman could defeat the forces of evil, why couldn't an entire kingdom?

For the first time since he became Cat Noir, Adrien finally understood that no one man or woman could take on someone as powerful as Hawkmoth. Only with his friends and his people could he ever hope to win his rightful place as King of Agreste and bring back harmony. Ladybug had proven that to him.

 _It's just a ceremonial business transaction. True love? Doesn't exist._

Adrien found it so hard to believe he had that kind of mindset only mere months ago. Now, as he and his princess walked arm-in-arm along the beach of the great green lake, the thief had never been so happy to be proven wrong.

It was bloody cold out, but the stars were out tonight, and the two lovers held each other against the chill. Adrien sighed and listened to the soft lapping of water along the shore. It was the most beautiful sound he had heard in what felt like ages.

Well, actually... the _second_ most beautiful sound, next to the voice of the girl in his arms.

"I'm sure Plagg is very happy to see you again," Ladybug said with a smile. "He's just too full of himself to admit it."

Adrien smirked. "Even as a real cat, he was full of himself," he explained. "You just have to keep some camembert handy, and he'll grovel at your feet."

Ladybug giggled – okay, make _that_ the most beautiful sound Adrien ever heard.

"Tikki seems pretty nice, though," the young prince remarked. "It's so weird – a fairy that looks like a ladybug, and a fairy that used to be a black cat." He glanced down at his Ladybug with a sly grin. "Maybe that's Fate's way of saying we were both meant to be."

She hummed at him. "Or it's just a coincidence."

"Hey – if it brought us together, I'll take it."

Ladybug just smiled and rested her cheek on his shoulder – the same one she had stitched back together on the first night they were alone together. Adrien nuzzled his cheek in her hair and sighed again.

After a minute or two, they both stopped and gazed out across the lake and towards the west, where the kingdom of Agreste lay just beyond the high ridge. Hawkmoth was there now, strengthening his army with magic and preparing to wipe out the other two kingdoms off the face of the earth. Adrien's smile fell. For the longest time, he had believed his people's suffering was because of Hawkmoth's incentive to kill _him_. But now, with his archenemy seemingly vanquished, the evil wizard was free to spread his darkness without end.

 _But all that's going to change_ , Adrien thought resolutely, _and Hawkmoth's victory will be a short-lived one._

But he'd worry about that tomorrow. All that mattered now was being here with his Ladybug.

That's when he remembered something, and he turned to face his princess. "I've wanted to ask you this for a while," he said with an awkward smile. "How did you find me?"

Ladybug raised an eyebrow at him. "You mean... _now_ , or when I strung you up in that big net like a flailing fish?"

"You know what I mean. And that last part wasn't funny."

She giggled again. "Well, long story short..." She pulled something off of her thumb and held it out to him. "This little thing led me straight to you."

A greenish glow emitted from the gem, and Adrien almost laughed as he picked it up. "Isn't this the little bugger that started all the trouble?" he asked.

"It is," Ladybug admitted warmly, "but on the bright side, I never would have met you if you hadn't stolen it."

Adrien shook his head and winked at her. "Then I'm certainly glad I did."

He offered the ring back, but she pushed it gently away.

"Keep it," Ladybug said. "I know it's not your style, but... it was always yours to begin with."

Adrien stared the ring momentarily, his face reddening.

He knew then what he wanted to do.

King Thomas and Queen Sabine had been more than welcoming with him earlier. As they had talked with him privately, Adrien asked them a very important question. He didn't care what the answer was, but he knew it was respectable to ask regardless. To his surprise, the king and queen had given him the response he had hoped for.

Now, it was time to ask Ladybug a question.

Adrien fiddled with the ring between his fingers and said with a sly grin, "All right – I'll keep the ring. But only if you accept something from me in return."

"Oh?" Ladybug cocked her head at him, her smile indicating she had an idea of where this was going. "And what would that be?"

"All that I am."

Those blue eyes of hers sparkled in the starlight.

Adrien practically fell onto one knee. Then he clasped Ladybug's hand over the ring so they were now both holding onto it. All that time, he never took his eyes off of her face, which he knew was turning red even in the dark.

His heart pounded so hard he thought he would pass out right there on the rocks, but Adrien took a long, deep breath and stammered, "Princess Marinette of Dupain-Cheng... My Ladybug... I've loved you since the first moment I saw you. You could say... you really _swept_ me off my feet."

She let out a heavy laugh, as though she was about to cry. But he could tell she was smiling at him.

He beamed at her, and the stars seemed to explode behind her. "And I will love you until my last," Adrien continued, his heart now going somersaults. "So... what do you say, my lady? Will you marry me?"

Ladybug's eyes narrowed, though she held that wonderful smile. "What do you think, silly kitty?" she grumbled playfully.

Adrien glanced to the left. Then to the right. Then he looked up at her nervously. "Yes?" he offered.

Now she was laughing, her head falling back. "Yes!" she chortled happily as she grasped their conjoined hands. "Yes, of course I'll marry you! Now get up and kiss me already!"

Adrien didn't remember standing up. The next thing he knew, he had both arms around Ladybug's waist and lifted her effortlessly off the ground. And as he kissed her, he spun her around like he did on the night of the ball.

She kissed him back passionately, her fingers running through his golden hair and her feet popped up as she flew through the air in his embrace.

Adrien's heart soared. Heat flooded through him, and not even the cold of winter could stop it. He took her in deeply, and she did the same. And when they pulled apart for air, they kissed again, more intensely this time.

Then again. And again.

And in the sight of the stars and the gods and all the good people of this realm – some of whom were no doubt watching them this very moment with sappy sighs – the cat prince and his ladybug princess gave themselves to each other in that one, exceedingly-long spiral of kisses.

* * *

 _This wasn't supposed to happen._

 _This_ shouldn't _have happened!_

 _Why did it happen_ now _?!_

(Oh, right. You want to know how he found out, don't you? Well, brace yourselves.)

Hawkmoth was in his private chambers, smiling narcissistically at himself in the mirror on his dresser as he finished straightening out his new, black jacket. He rather liked it – it really made his silver mask stand out more.

It had been a good day. The peasants had stopped revolting, the enemy was quiet on the border, and little by little his army of Akuma Guards grew stronger – not just in numbers, but in strength and power. The Dark Amethyst truly was a wondrous little toy.

Very soon, the three kingdoms would be under the Sorcerer King's control. The lands, the people, and all the magic they possessed. _Be patient, Seraphina_ , the king thought with smug delight. _Our moment of victory will soon be upon us. And once I have all the power of the realm in my grasp, you will be at my side once again... and this time, no one will ever dare tear you away from me._

Perhaps he should select a new title. "Sorcerer King" wasn't terrible, but he felt it was time for a change. What about... the _Supreme_ King? Or maybe... the Supreme _Emperor_?

A pulsing blue light appeared in the mirror. It was coming from the magic mirror on the wall behind him. (Haha – see what I did there?)

Hawkmoth groaned. He didn't want to be disturbed right now, but he _did_ put a spell on the mirror to notify him of any drastic changes going on in the outside world.

And apparently, based on the harsh glow of the glass, it was something _really_ drastic.

 _Oh, well_. Hawkmoth turned away from the dresser and strode over to the opposite mirror. _It's nothing I can't handle._

"Show me," the king commanded in a bored tone.

The inky surface rippled... and he saw several people gathering around a large fire pit in an even larger camp.

Hawkmoth recognised this picture: it was in the Eye of the Gods, where King Thomas and freshly-groomed King Theo were amassing their armies, along with any pathetic refugees they could rescue. The last time Hawkmoth had seen them, there was barely any life in their eyes; barely any strength to even scrape the mud off their boots.

But now... something was very different.

The peasants were nodding at each other, grinning with something that looked like... valour?

One of the men spoke over the others. "This is our time, my friends!" he announced proudly. "Our true king has come forth at last... to offer us back our homes! Our freedom! Our lives!"

His cohorts cheered like loud drunkards at a tavern.

Hawkmoth's brow scrunched low. What "true king"?

Then a woman shouted, "But he cannot take the throne on his own! The people of Agreste must stand with their king! We must fight!"

"YES!" the others shouted triumphantly. Some of them threw in snippets of "I will fight!" and "For Agreste!" and even "Death to the false king!"

As they cheered on, Hawkmoth grew more confused than ever – and worried. "What is going on here?" he growled into the mirror. "Who is this self-proclaimed king they have rallied behind?"

Unfortunately, the mirror had the answer.

And when Hawkmoth saw this "true king"... his world froze over with red-lined fury.

"No...!" He breathed, his hands clenching so hard they cracked. "It can't be!"

But the magic mirror showed only the truth. It wasn't _its_ fault the truth wasn't what Hawkmoth wanted to see.

There he was, on that lovely little beach, holding _her_ in his arms. Both of them were laughing and smiling and kissing.

No.

She was supposed to be dead! Antibug should have destroyed her! It had been two months since he had sent the former Queen of Bourgeois to eliminate the red-spotted princess, but when Hawkmoth hadn't heard anything back, he assumed the mission had been successful.

Apparently, it had not.

And what's worse – the boy was awake! That little bitch somehow found a way to break the sleeping curse! But how? With what?!

 _This wasn't supposed to happen._

 _This_ shouldn't _have happened!_

 _Why did it happen_ now _?!_

Hawkmoth breathed through his teeth as he watched them. Then the golden-haired son of King Gabriel smiled at his little princess and said, "Princess Ladybug of Agreste. Got a nice _ring_ to it, wouldn't you say?" He flashed something green and glittering on his finger, and the girl laughed at him and said some kind of witty remark Hawkmoth didn't pay attention to.

Because the wizard was more focused on that ring on the boy's hand.

And he had said "Agreste" – not Dupain-Cheng.

It didn't take long for Hawkmoth to figure it out.

It was like watching Gabriel and Vivienne all over again – all that romance practically rubbing in his face.

No. No! NO!

The Dark Amethyst glowed so hot it burned right through his tunic. Sparks of energy popped and whirled around his body. His icy-blue eyes turned a deadly shade of purple.

Then, Hawkmoth raised his head to the ceiling and roared.

* * *

Purple light flashed across the sky, startling everyone in the camp.

Adrien and Ladybug gasped and snapped towards the ridge on the other side of the lake.

In the distance, a great beam of purple lightning shot up towards the heavens. In writhed and coiled in sharp, angry jabs.

Adrien immediately knew where it was coming from... and who had sent it. And that terrified him even more.

But he stood his ground and pulled Ladybug closer to him.

She did the same, her eyes wide but bold. "He knows you're awake," she whispered, her voice laced with more bitterness than fear.

Adrien nodded. "He was bound to find out sooner or later," he said. "I was just hoping for later."

Maybe then they'd have more time to gather their strength and fight back with Hawkmoth none the wiser. Maybe then they'd have the element of surprise on their side.

But, as always, _something_ had to ruin the whole moment.

Just then, he felt a soft hand on his chin. He looked to see Ladybug smiling at him firmly. "Let him try and stop us," she stated. "This time, we'll face him together. It's like you said before: he can't keep us apart forever."

Adrien smiled at his future wife and kissed her on the forehead. "You're right," he affirmed before turning back to the purple lightning bolt. "Let's go get our kingdom back. Together."

They clasped hands, and for a moment Adrien swore he could see Hawkmoth in that jagged beam of light, glaring back at them with renewed hatred.

True love had beaten the king's evil curse.

And true love was going to beat _him_. Of that, Adrien was certain.

* * *

Hawkmoth tried to breathe slowly. In through the nose, out through the mouth... In, out...

Meanwhile, everything lay shattered and scorched and broken around him.

Well, except of course the magic mirror. It hummed with blue light, as though it had protected itself from the king's exploding rage.

At that moment, four Akuma Guards came bursting through the door, weapons ready... only to stop when they saw their master alone and unscathed in a blackened ruin.

"WAIT OUTSIDE!" Hawkmoth bellowed at them with a crooked finger.

The men scampered back the way they came.

Alone once again, the king began pacing back and forth, rubbing his hands over his masked, bald head.

It was obvious now that he couldn't rely on any of his allies to finish off his stepson. He must do the deed himself!

But... how can he kill the boy with Gabriel's protection spell still in effect?

Hawkmoth growled angrily and kicked at a small, cracked tinderbox that had fallen on the floor.

"Blasted Gabriel!" he yelled. "Blasted Adrien! Blasted Ladybug!" He breathed heavily and then rubbed his temples hard. "How can I kill someone I can't even kill?!"

Then... there was another pulsing blue light.

Hawkmoth lowered his hands and turned back to the magic mirror. "Now what?" he snapped. He _clearly_ wasn't in the mood for another vision of failure.

But that's not what the mirror showed him.

As the king watched, he saw several different visions: some familiar, some not.

He saw King Gabriel on his knees before him, stating defiantly, "Vivienne and Adrien shall not fall at your hand, Reginald. They will live on."

He saw himself talking to Adrien on the hill, "You truly are Gabriel's son, if you think that love is as powerful as you say."

He saw Princess Marinette kissing a comatose Adrien on the lips, which resulted in a wave of rainbow light – a wave that knocked out all magic surrounding the boy.

Finally, Hawkmoth heard a strange voice – a girl's voice – declaring in the background: "Love can overcome all obstacles."

The king gathered those visions in his thoughts, trying to piece them together.

It took a bit of thinking, but after a while, Hawkmoth reached a definitive solution. More like a hypothesis, but a definitive one nonetheless.

Could it be possible... that his greatest defeat suddenly turned into his greatest achievement? Did the one thing he swore to destroy end up laying the seed of its own destruction?

Hawkmoth found himself grinning from ear to ear.

"Well..." he whispered with a purr. "Why don't we find out?"

And as he called for the guards to find him some proper travelling clothes – his wardrobe had been demolished in the blast – Hawkmoth couldn't help but snigger to himself.

 _It seems Princess Marinette was more useful than I imagined._

 _Yes. Quite useful indeed._

* * *

 **MB: Part 4 is finished! YAY! Big thanks to all you readers who have stayed with me this far. But don't worry - there's still more to come!**

 **What evil scheme is Hawkmoth cooking up now? How will Adrien and Marinette face off against him in the final battle? Will true love conquer evil, or will tragedy befall our beloved heroes once again?**

 **Find out next time in Part 5 (aka: the finale)!**


	25. 5:1: Mark My Words

**MB: Just so there's no confusion or anything, I stole the title from Part 3: Chapter 3 because I thought it suited this chapter better. So the title for 3:3 is now called "Divided We Fall".**

 **Finally, the final part is here! These chapters will also be pretty fast-paced, so read as slowly as you can.**

 **That being said... Enjoy!**

* * *

 **PART 5:**

 _It has come to the attention of this author that the line between good and evil has always been heavily blurred._

 _Those who are evil justify their actions by claiming to do good._

 _Similarly, those who are good – if provoked – go beyond their own morals and tread the path of evil._

 _The scales tip in either direction._

 _Every decision we make brings us closer to being labeled as good or evil._

 _So how do we differentiate the two?_

 _How do we tell which side of a conflict is good, and which side is evil?_

 _And even if it was easy to tell, what makes us so certain good shall always triumph over evil?_

 _What if, this time, evil shall reign victorious?_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1:**_

 _ **Mark My Words**_

Morning had come... and so had the war.

The purple flash of light from last night had left everyone in the army camp riled up. It was no question as to who had sent that angry bolt into the sky.

Most of the people were demanding to take action. Some of them wondered fearfully if negotiating would be a safer course.

But Adrien knew that with Lord Hawkmoth, there would be no negotiating.

He had said as much in the royal tent, where the leaders of the three kingdoms debated what was to be done. Reluctantly, Adrien told them how Hawkmoth had tried to corrupt him, and how more innocent lives would suffer the same fate if his stepfather wasn't stopped once and for all.

Ladybug stood at her fiancé's side, telling everyone her experiences in Castle Agreste and her encounter with Chloe in the Forbidden Mountains. Tikki and Plagg supported her story, and little by little the princess's words won the group over.

Princess Bridgette was clearly in no mood to make peace talks with the man who had abducted and tried to murder her sister. The heir of Dupain-Cheng voiced it was high time to take the fight to Hawkmoth himself and stop his new Akuma army before it spreads even further.

King Thomas and Queen Sabine were of the same mind.

"No one messes with our family and escapes justice," Ladybug's father declared.

The queen nodded. "If both our daughters are going to war, so are we," she had said. "We will fight as a family, and as a nation – by the blood of our ancestors."

As Captain of the Agreste Guard and a member of the common folk, Alya voted to fight. "I'll sink my fangs into Hawkmoth himself if it comes down to that," she had said.

Nino, as always, sided with the fiery shape-shifter – as did the rest of the Seven Bandits. Or perhaps they should be called the Seven _Lieutenants_? Nah, it wasn't the same.

King Theo expressed his own personal misgivings with the Sorcerer King. "My sister tried to negotiate with him," he explained sourly, "and it's brought nothing but dishonour to my family... and my people. I will no longer stand idly by and watch my kingdom crumble. If we must fight, I shall be the first Bourgeois to step onto the battlefield. And if I'm the only one who will, then so be it."

Adrien nodded at him, feeling a hint of pride for this boy king. With Chloe missing and Theo trying to redeem his family name, Adrien had no doubt in his mind the people of Bourgeois would see the selfless efforts of their new ruler and stand with him in the end.

But all was not stamped and sealed just yet.

"We need the people's faith and support if we are to win this war," Adrien stated. He looked over at his Ladybug with a determined grin. "They deserve to hear our story as well, and we deserve to hear _theirs_."

* * *

It was now midday.

Adrien stood up on a supply wagon, dressed once more in his black thieving leathers and tunic, and staring out into the sea of soldiers and commoners before him. All eyes were on the prince, waiting silently with anticipation.

So Adrien told them his story, starting with the day Hawkmoth ruthlessly murdered his father, King Gabriel. He described every detail from his vision in the magic mirror, including the ultimate sacrifice his father made to ensure his family's protection.

Then Adrien went on to explain how his stepfather won over Queen Vivienne and put her under a sleeping curse, forcing Adrien into a life of exile. "I would have surely been hunted and killed by Akuma Guards," the prince explained, "had it not been for the courage and generosity of seven friends who helped me learn to survive." He looked at Ladybug with a warm smile. "And I never would have escaped the darkness of my own heart had it not been for the stubbornness of the woman I fell in love with."

Ladybug grinned, and her older sister nudged her teasingly in the side.

Adrien turned back to the people. "But I am not the only one Hawkmoth has made to suffer," he said. "So I ask all of you now: speak and let _your_ stories be heard. Share your pain with the rest of us and let us help you fight through it."

Ivan and Mylene went first, informing everyone how they had both suffered as creatures of stone at the hands of the Sorcerer King. "But thanks to Prince Adrien and Princess Marinette," Ivan announced, "I was reunited with the love of my life, and given a second chance to live in peace and happiness. But I still owe both of them a debt... and I shall fulfill it by fighting alongside them and bringing the traitorous king down for good!"

An old farmer with a crippled leg went next. Akuma Guards had taken his wife and daughter and murdered his little boy when he had tried to stop them. Then they had injured the farmer's leg and left him to die. "I may not be able to fight," the man declared with strong grit, "but I will gladly lend my claw and rake to those who will!"

Two young women in the crowd – sisters – were once the daughters of a widowed miller who had resisted Hawkmoth's rule. But when the king's forces came banging on their door, their father had hidden both girls inside the cellar. "We watched through a crack in the floor as three guards stabbed our father to death – over and over again," one of the women said to Adrien with tears in her eyes. "He died protecting us, my prince... just as King Gabriel died for you and the queen. Let us fight with you, and both their sacrifices shall not be in vain!"

Adrien listened as more and more people told him their tragic stories: homes burned, loved ones captured or killed or turned into Akumas, entire villages driven into the wild where either cold or hunger took them...

It was almost too much for Adrien to bear. He imagined himself in his people's shoes, watching everything they had being taken from them in an instant. Adrien felt his eyes fill with tears, and he wasn't the only one. Almost everyone who wasn't talking was definitely crying, even for those they barely knew.

Finally, when no one had the courage to speak of their pain any longer, Adrien looked back at Ladybug. Her eyes were red and gleaming, but she nodded at him.

"Hawkmoth has terrorized us for far too long," Adrien stated with a raised tone, causing everyone to look back up at him. "But we will not give in to hatred and revenge just to see him overthrown. One of my friends has a very wise saying: the only way to beat our enemies is to prove to them that we can't be broken."

Several soldiers agreed with a proud, "Yes!" The common folk nodded with them, their grief ebbing away.

"The kingdoms don't belong to Hawkmoth," Adrien said, "they belong to _us_!"

"YES!" Now everyone was shouting, including Ladybug and the army leaders.

Adrien grinned with determination. "Hawkmoth may have Akumas and magic on his side," he declared, "but we have each other... and that's all we need!" He raised a clenched fist. "So let's stand together and fight for our families, our homes, _and_ our freedom!"

The crowd erupted into cheers and bellows of triumph – peasants and soldiers and nobles, all joining their voices together as a single nation; a single realm.

Adrien felt a rush of adrenaline flow through him, and he smiled at the onlookers with the face of a proud king.

Then he climbed off the wagon and into the arms of his best friend Nino. "Nice speech, bro," the huntsman mused with a firm pat on the back.

"But you stole my line," Alya whined with a smile.

Adrien shrugged. "I only steal from the best," he said.

"Believe me," Ladybug said with a wink, "I know."

The group laughed...

...until Rose pointed above the white canopy and shouted with wide eyes, "What's that?!"

Silence fell over the crowd as they all turned to see what the healer was pointing to.

Adrien squinted at the grey sky, and that's when he saw a blob of fluttering black specks flying towards them at full speed, growing bigger with every second.

Plagg hovered over to the prince and snorted. "Aw, come on – there're just birds," he assured.

Sadly, Tikki wasn't so sure. "Those don't look like birds," she said worriedly. "They look like... like..."

"Butterflies," Ladybug finished for her, sounding concerned.

Adrien peered closer at the black cloud... and that's when he saw streaks of glowing purple. Horror flooded through him. "Everyone – take cover!" he shouted.

The crowd scattered in all directions just as the swarm of butterflies came down upon them in broad waves.

Adrien shielded Ladybug from the onslaught as the winged creatures blew around them like sharp leaves in the wind. All the while, he heard screaming from the refugees.

When the swarm finally cleared, everyone cautiously looked up from where they had crouched or fallen. The mass of black-and-purple butterflies came together in a swirling twister.

Then, they began to shift in perfect synchronization, molding this way and that until they formed the body of a man. The butterflies glowed bright purple and then, as one, they dissipated – revealing the Sorcerer King, cane and all.

There were gasps and cries from the frightened onlookers... but not from Adrien and his companions.

Hawkmoth brushed something off his purple travelling cloak before turning to Adrien with a casual sneer.

A squad of soldiers drew their swords and charged at the king. But all Hawkmoth had to do was wave his hand, and the courageous men and women were sent flying onto their backs like heavy metal buckets.

"You've got quite the army here, Adrien," Hawkmoth announced dryly as he stepped forward to the prince and his entourage. "Your father would be most proud."

Adrien kept his expression stiff and cold. "We are not afraid of you," he said.

"Why?" his stepfather asked with a glare at Ladybug. "Because you and the bug broke my sleeping curse?"

The princess immediately drew an arrow and shot it directly at the king.

It stopped mere inches from his silver face before snapping cleanly in two.

Hawkmoth snorted with a sneer. "Have you learned nothing, my dear?"

He held his hand out towards her, and suddenly a heavy rope from the supply wagon lashed out and ensnared Ladybug like a snake. She cried out and tried to wrench free, but within seconds she was entirely secured to the wagon without any chance of going anywhere.

"No!" King Thomas cried, reaching out to his daughter.

Hawkmoth shook his head at the princess. "And _she's_ the one you intend to marry?" he asked Adrien skeptically.

Adrien and Bridgette tried to rush to her aid, but Hawkmoth called, "Ah-ah-ah! Not until my stepson and I have had our little talk."

The princely thief scowled at him, but stood down nonetheless. "The last time we had one of those, you went back on your word," he said in a low tone. "There's nothing you can say that I can trust."

"True," Hawkmoth admitted, "but what does it matter?" His tone hardened with smugness. "Your little resistance can't defeat me, _or_ my new Akuma army. All your doing is just delaying the inevitable."

Ladybug glanced over at Adrien as she struggled against her bonds. "Adrien, don't listen to a single wor–!"

One end of her bonds wrapped itself around her mouth, gagging her instantly and muffling any further words she wanted to say. Ladybug growled and fought harder.

Adrien glanced between her and his stepfather. Then he grunted and stepped forward.

"Adrien, don't!" Nino hissed from behind him, but the prince ignored him.

A great hush laced with dread fell over the crowd.

"What do you want, Hawkmoth?" Adrien said.

The king smiled and replied, "I want you to give up your claim to the throne of Agreste. I want you to declare me the rightful ruler of this land."

Shuddering gasps rippled through the air.

" _Never_ ," Adrien spat.

"Then you leave me no choice but to destroy you," Hawkmoth said.

The prince's mouth curled upward. "You've tried to curse me. It didn't work. You've tried to kill me – more than once, I should add – and every time, I've evaded you."

"But _this_ time, you won't," Hawkmoth growled.

He had a gleam in his icy-blue eyes that told Adrien he knew something the prince didn't, and that made the latter suddenly nervous.

"Remember what I told you before, Adrien," the king continued as he began pacing around his stepson. "Love is weakness. And now, thanks to your Ladybug's lovely little lip-lock..." He gestured to the bound princess. "...my curse is not the only enchantment she broke. Your father's protection spell – the only thing that kept you safe from me all these years – is also gone."

Adrien revealed nothing, but his core tightened together in a hard knot. "You're bluffing," he snarled.

Hawkmoth merely shrugged and fiddled with the purple jewel on his cane. "Let's test that theory, shall we?"

There was a small _click_ and the jewel popped off the stick, dragging something long and shiny with it.

Adrien gasped and leapt back, but the hidden blade still managed to slice him right in the face. He cried out and covered his stinging cheek.

More gasps.

"Adrien!" Nino cried.

Ladybug let out a muffled cry of her own, her eyes wide.

Adrien winced as he straightened up. His gloved hand came back with a thin smear of blood.

But it wasn't the blood that startled him, or made his insides go numb. It was the fact that Hawkmoth had _actually_ hurt him, when previously he couldn't hurt a hair off his head without King Gabriel's final spell blocking him.

But now... _Shit!_

Hawkmoth burst out into evil laughter. "Oh, the irony of it all!" he chortled. "You – the romantic hero – defeated by an act of true love!" He glanced back at Ladybug more kindly this time. "I could almost kiss you myself, dearie. But I think I'll pass on that."

The cold bit into the wound on Adrien's cheek, making his face twitch. But he continued to stare his stepfather dead in the eye.

He was about to open his mouth to speak, but then Hawkmoth raised his hand again... at _him_.

Something invisible grabbed onto the prince's throat and squeezed. Adrien gasped, eyes wide, but he could not take a breath. The next thing he knew, his feet left the ground and he was hanging in the air, grasping his own neck in desperation.

Ladybug screamed through her gag. Many onlookers were screaming too.

Adrien kicked out in mid-air, but to no avail. He heard sounds of shuffling behind him, followed by a rush of wind and the sounds of several bodies slamming onto the ground. His sight darkened, and his head felt like it was going to explode.

He glanced down at Hawkmoth as he struggled, but all he saw was the king smiling up at him with triumphant glee.

"You have no idea how long I have waited for this," Hawkmoth snarled through his teeth. "Now I can finish you off with just a twist of my hand!"

Adrien heard Ladybug crying out to him again, and he fought to hang on as best he could. But everything was already turning red and hazy...

Suddenly, the grip on his throat fell away, and he was breathing again. Then he fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.

Adrien gasped and coughed as he tried to crawl back up, all the while looking befuddled.

"On second thought," he heard Hawkmoth say casually, "that would be too easy. And not as much fun."

Something forced Adrien's spine to bend over backwards, and he cried out hoarsely as he remained there on his knees, staring up at the pale sky as his body refused to obey his commands.

He wondered why no one was coming to his aid; why the people were just standing there watching Hawkmoth torture him. Then it occurred to Adrien: they're afraid of him now. He just threw back a bunch of their best knights without breaking a sweat, so why in the world would they believe _they_ would stand a better chance?

Despite the pain coercing through his back and the constriction in his neck, Adrien couldn't bring himself to blame them.

Just then, Hawkmoth's face came into view, leaning over his stepson like a doctor overlooking a patient.

"You need to be alive," the king whispered ominously. "You need to be awake. But just long enough so you can watch me take away everything you've fought so hard to protect."

In the corner of his eye, Adrien saw Ladybug thrashing against her bonds, her blue eyes shooting daggers into the king.

"Stop denying who you really are, _Cat Noir_ ," Hawkmoth continued, grasping Adrien's chin with cruel strength. "You may have been a prince, but you will _never_ be a king."

Adrien breathed heavily through his nose.

Then, he was flying forward. Adrien groaned as he fell flat on his stomach in the snow. Some of the onlookers winced.

"Now... Get up on your knees and swear on your father's grave that this realm – and everything in it – belongs to me!" Hawkmoth declared as he stepped back around the boy. "If you do, I will spare your loved ones... to a degree." He added that last part when Alya let out a gargling, canine-like growl at him.

Adrien coughed again. His muscles felt like they had been stretched apart like dough, but he forced himself to sit up. As he did so, his fingers quickly fished for something secured at his belt.

"I swear..." Adrien croaked before clearing his throat, "I swear on my father's grave..." He glanced up at the Sorcerer King with a feline smirk. "...that I will never leave my kingdom... or my people... in _your_ hands!"

Adrien pounced at the king, his three hidden knives flashing between his clenched fingers.

Hawkmoth vanished in a puff of purple smoke just as the prince slashed at him.

But Adrien was expecting that.

Like a spinning dancer, the prince snapped around gracefully just as Hawkmoth reappeared behind him, his cane-sword preparing to cut the boy down.

Adrien got to him first... and slashed his stepfather across the face.

Hawkmoth's sword fell from his fingers as he reeled back with a "GUH!"

The crowd gasped again... not with horror, but with awe.

In that instant, Ladybug's rope bonds went slack and fell away. She spat out her gag and shook the ropes off as she watched the quick confrontation with wonder.

Everyone silently pointed out to the three, bloody, cat-like marks running from the bottom of Hawkmoth's cheek to the tip of his eyebrow – a far nastier-looking scratch than the one he had given Adrien. Through the torn parts of the king's mask, Adrien could see bits of burned skin underneath.

He had just revealed to the entire realm who the Sorcerer King truly was: a man who was just as mortal and breakable as the rest of them.

The king batted his face and gaped with rage at the blood on his fingers. Then he shot a deadly glare at his stepson.

Adrien stood tall before his stepfather, though his back argued against it. "I know who I really am," he stated out enough for everyone to hear. "I am a prince, but I am also just a man, like _you_ are. The only difference between you and me... is that I am not alone."

Ladybug smiled at him. Then she too straightened herself up to challenge the Sorcerer King.

Then Nino was doing it too. Then Alya, Juleka, Kim, Max, Rose, Bridgette, Theo, Ladybug's parents...

Within seconds, nearly everyone in the crowd stepped forward defiantly, their faces scrunched with bitterness and courage.

Hawkmoth's eyes snapped to them, like a dog sensing a threat. Apparently, he now realized he was outnumbered.

So Adrien pushed on. "You are wrong about love, and you are wrong about me!" he asserted with a determined gaze. "My love for my friends is my strength, and it is also theirs! My father's spell may be broken, but the love he bore for me and my mother will always remain!" Adrien stepped closer to Hawkmoth so they were now toe-to-toe. "And I will not stand to let you sit on _his_ throne any longer!" he snarled loudly. "This is _my_ kingdom, _Reginald_... and I _will_ fight for it!"

Hawkmoth's pupils shrank with fury at the mention of his true name.

At the same time, Nino mouthed "Reginald..." with a snigger.

"So will we!" Ladybug declared proudly, causing Adrien to smile back at her.

The Seven Bandits and many others agreed with her in raised voices.

 _Looks like the ayes have it_ , Adrien thought as he gave Hawkmoth a cat-like grin.

The king only growled at him and said, "Very well, Prince Adrien." He lowered his hand from his scarred cheek. "I will see you on the battlefield. And when I do, I will crush you! I don't care how many of your friends I need to cut down until I reach you, but I _will_ be victorious!"

Hawkmoth spread out his arms and, in the blink of an eye, he exploded... into several dozen dark butterflies.

Adrien watched expressionlessly as the fluttering swarm retreated back into the sky. As they shrank into the distance, the prince murmured softly, "I guess we'll find out, won't we?"

As soon as the last butterfly vanished out of sight, Nino let out a proud "YEAH!"

Then the whole crowd burst into relieved cheers once again.

But only one face stood out to Adrien amongst all the others.

He and Ladybug ran into each other's arms. Then he cupped her face in his hands. "Are you all right, my lady?"

She nodded with a smile. "I'm fine, Kitty..." Then she frowned at the bleeding mark on his cheek. "We should get Rose to look at that."

"Later," Adrien said as he pulled her in for a quick kiss... before they were both instantly surrounded by their friends and the might of three unified kingdoms.

* * *

That night, Marinette realized this was going to be a very short war.

The army leaders gathered once again in the royal tent, hovering over a map detailing the layout of Castle Agreste and all its entrances, hallways, rooms and passages.

It had already been made clear that the only way in and out through the wall was the main gate, which was made of tough iron and heavily fortified with spikes. But _that_ wasn't going to be the hard part. The parapets were built to conceal archers but give them just enough room to shoot cleanly at attackers. Not to mention Hawkmoth had a bunch of trebuchets and a giant cauldron of flaming tar at his disposal.

Even if the army found a way to breach the gate, the courtyard would be crawling with Akuma Guards, and there would be more raining down arrows and stones from the towers above. And now that the soldiers could use magic, they wouldn't need arrows or swords... just a clear line of sight.

On a happier note, Rose and Mylene knew of some herbs they could slip into their potion bombs that could temporarily knock out the Akumas or otherwise distort their senses, which would make it harder for them to cast their spells. Tikki and Plagg also offered to lend the two women some of their fairy dust to help weaken the Akumas' magic – again, temporarily.

Max had ideas for dealing with the trebuchets (his father used to sabotage siege weapons during the invasion of the D'Argencourt pirates), and Kim was more than willing to provide tips for extra protection against fire and regular arrows.

Juleka was quick on her feet and knew how to fight hand-to-hand. Nathaniel could barely lift a shield, but he absolutely refused to be left behind. If the least-experienced peasants were allowed to fight, then the redheaded bard should be too.

Marinette didn't worry too much about Nino and Alya. She had seen first-hand how both of them managed in a fight. But would they be able to hold off a rampaging army of sorcerers?

It was Adrien the princess was worried about.

He kept staring off into space, listening to the group's conversation but still off in his own little world. His green eyes were narrowed in thought, as though he was trying to come up with idea himself.

Marinette wished she could offer up something useful, but the truth was she had nothing to bring to the table but her bow and her Chengise fighting skills. She wasn't an expert in battle tactics or strategy, but she was a quick-thinker. She knew she would always come up with a back-up plan or two to get herself out of any sticky situation.

But this was the stickiest situation she had ever been in, and now, as Hawkmoth's dire warning echoed in her mind, Marinette wondered if she would be able to crawl out of this one in one piece at all.

Finally, Adrien spoke out, "It's not enough."

All eyes turned to him.

"What do you mean?" King Theo enquired.

Adrien leaned both hands on the table. "Our main target should be Hawkmoth – not the castle," he explained. "Yes, we should focus all our strength on besieging it, and we might even get it done... but as long as Hawkmoth is in command, none of us will make it out of there alive." His green eyes softened. "Besides, my mother is still in there somewhere, and I don't want to run the risk of losing her again."

Marinette nodded. The evil wizard might try to threaten the queen's life to coerce Adrien into surrendering, especially now that King Gabriel's protection spell no longer applied to her.

King Thomas sighed. "What do you suggest, son?" he asked Adrien.

The former thief looked up determinedly. "I'm suggesting we use the attack as a diversion," he proposed. "Meanwhile, I take a small strike team inside the castle, rescue my mother, and take down Hawkmoth in his own keep."

Alya's mouth fell open. "That...!" She paused and shrugged with a hopeful expression. "That could work. It's crazy, but it could work!"

"It's not crazy – it's _impossible_ ," Max argued. "Look at the map – there's not a single secret entry point Hawkmoth hasn't already found and sealed off... or laced with traps and guards and who knows what else!"

Marinette looked back at Adrien... and was surprised to see him grinning slyly.

"Actually," he said with a raised finger, "there is _one_ spot he can't seal off – one that only two people in this tent know how to traverse." He turned with a smug smile to his best friend.

Nino blinked at him for a moment, and then his brown eyes lit up with understanding. "You mean... _there_?" He pointed at a spot on the map, which sat on the far side of one of the Twin Mountains... and away from the castle.

Adrien nodded.

Max peered at the spot and frowned. "There's nothing there but hills and a small lake," he grumbled.

"On the outside, there is," Adrien said, "but I'm referring to what's _underneath_ all that."

Marinette's mouth parted, and she spoke up for the first time in the whole duration of the meeting. "You're saying there's a way inside the castle... _underground_?"

Both Adrien and Nino nodded this time.

Bridgette folded her arms at the two men. "Enlighten me," she said.

Nino smiled. "When Adrien and I were kids, we used to sneak out and go swimming out in that little lake every summer. One day, as we were diving, we noticed a small crack at the bottom, like a crevice. It's so tiny you can hardly see the damn thing. But I had better sight, and at first Adrien didn't believe me when I –"

"Nino," Adrien droned. "The point."

"Right – sorry. So, curious as we are, Adrien and I decided to investigate the crack. It turned out to be the entrance to a small tunnel leading to an air pocket inside the mountain itself." Nino's cheeks went all pudgy with excitement. "And guess where _that_ led us."

"I'm guessing another tunnel?" Kim suggested.

"Not just any tunnel," Adrien said, "but the entrance to the old catacombs underneath the castle."

" _Eww_!" everyone except Nino moaned.

Marinette looked more surprised than disgusted... and more optimistic. She shook her head with a small laugh. "Oh, Adrien... you and your crazy plans never cease to amuse me."

He grinned at her. "I'm glad you think so, my lady."

"Hold on... let me get this straight," Bridgette said waving her hands with an incredulous stare at Adrien. "You're suggesting that you and this strike team of yours sneak into the castle and surprise Hawkmoth... by entering an underground tunnel filled with _dead people_?!"

Marinette turned to her sister resolutely. "If it gets us inside the castle, then yes, Bridge – I'll gladly take the tunnel filled with dead people."

The elder princess tilted her head at her. "Us?" she repeated.

"I'm going with Adrien into the castle," Marinette elaborated.

"Marinette..." Queen Sabine began.

"Mother, don't start," the blunette snapped, using her grown-up voice. "I know where Hawkmoth is keeping Queen Vivienne. And, as a former prisoner, I know my way around the castle almost as well as Adrien and Nino. I'm the third most likely person to go. Besides," Marinette smiled at Adrien. "I'm not letting my reckless fiancé out of my sight again."

Bridgette ran a hand through her long hair. "Would you believe it?" she muttered. "I break you out of that hell-hole, and you decide to go running straight back in."

"She won't be running in without me," Alya said. "I've got the best nose, and I'll be able to tell if there is any trouble in our path."

Marinette blinked and shot Adrien an inquisitive glance. Her thief nodded. Alya's shape-shifting capabilities would also be a definite asset to the mission.

"And _I'm_ not letting her out of _my_ sight," Nino added as he pulled Alya into a sideways hug. "Trust us, Your Majesties – we've got this."

Marinette's parents exchanged a long, expressionless look.

"Tikki and I are coming too!" Plagg announced, flying directly onto the table with a puffed out chest. "Our magic could come quite in handy in close spaces."

"No," Marinette said firmly, causing both fairies to gape at her. "Your magic is best served out on the battlefield. Our friends are going to need all the help they can get."

"But... But what about Hawkmoth?" Tikki asked fearfully. "As long as he holds the Dark Amethyst, you're going to need magic to stop him."

Adrien shook his head with a smile. "We don't need overpower him," he affirmed. "We just need to _outthink_ him. He doesn't know the castle like I do, and he's never had to face both me and Ladybug together. Don't worry, you two - we'll find a way."

Tikki and Plagg looked over at Marinette, who nodded at them, before dipping their heads with respect.

"Oh, all right," Plagg groaned. "Just... Try not to die on me, will you? Who's going to understand my craving for camembert?"

Marinette rolled her eyes as Tikki giggled, "Oh, Plagg... Don't ever change."

Then Kim raised a hand. "Not to sound pessimistic or anything," he said with a slight cringe, "but... won't Mothball suspect something if he finds out Adrien and Marinette aren't leading the charge?"

"He's got a point," Juleka said. "It's not like there are any other guys with golden hair and girls with bright-red, spotted cloaks around here."

At long last, an idea came to Marinette. "So we create some," she declared proudly.

"Beg pardon?" Theo asked.

"Of course – disguises!" Max cried with a beaming grin. "And with Rose's hair-changing potions, we could pull that off even better!"

"Exactly," Marinette said. "And I don't want to dirty up my favourite cloak in some dusty catacomb."

"Oh, trust me, there's more than just dust down there," Nino mumbled, earning him an elbow in the ribs from Adrien.

Nathaniel stood forward, the lantern-light illuminating his face. "I'm the same height as Adrien," he insisted. "Just die my hair blonde and don me in black, and Hawkmoth will be none the wiser."

Juleka snapped him around to face her, her copper eyes wide with worry. "You can't go to the frontlines!" she argued. "It's too dangerous!"

"For a bard, definitely," Nathaniel said softly. "For Adrien, absolutely. For everyone else, it's a possibility – just ask Max. But who else is there, Jules? Kim's too tall, Max is too short and too dark – no offence – and Theo needs to be leading the Bourgeois. It _has_ to be me."

The former spy glanced down at her feet, and her long dark hair obscured most her face from view. Then she looked back up at the bard with a smile. "Then..." she began. "...at least... you'll have me to keep an eye on you."

Nathaniel's lip curved upward.

"So that just leaves a double for Marinette," Adrien said, glancing nervously around the table. "I hate to ask, but... Any volunteers?"

Bridgette looked away for a few seconds before lifting her chin. "You don't need to worry about changing _my_ hair," she said. "Marinette and I are practically twins. I can pass for her easily and still lead the frontlines like I intended."

Marinette suddenly wished she hadn't said anything at all. "But... if Hawkmoth thinks you're me..." she stuttered.

Bridgette smiled at her. "Hey, don't get all hypocritical on me, little sister. We both know what we both have to do... so let's just give it a shot and hope for the best."

The younger princess could only nod. She then felt Adrien's hand intertwine with hers, and she squeezed it tenderly.

"All right, then," Marinette's mother announced, her silver eyes filled with sad softness. "If there are no further objections..."

No one said a word.

Finally, Marinette's father said with a sigh, "Then it's settled. Adrien and Marinette will lead the strike force into the castle, get Queen Vivienne out, and hopefully capture Hawkmoth. The rest of us will keep the wizard's attention on his front door." He placed a determined fist on the table. "The entire realm is counting on us, so let's at least give our enemies a fight they will never forget."

Marinette flashed her father a thankful smile.

"Get some rest, all of you," King Thomas continued. "Tomorrow at dawn, we march to Castle Agreste."

* * *

Marinette tried to sleep.

The fire pit in the middle of her tent was burning strong, and the fur blankets kept away the chill. Marinette closed her eyes and tried to think of something soothing, like the time she and Adrien danced together at the masquerade ball.

But no matter how tired she was, sleep refused to come.

Tomorrow, the army would march into battle. Tomorrow, the fate of the three kingdoms would be decided. Tomorrow... Marinette's life would forever change, for better or worse.

Tiny bits of tears escaped her closed eyelids, but she didn't bother to brush them away. Marinette sighed heavily and rolled over in her cot. She hummed her mother's lullaby, hoping that would calm her frigid nerves.

She heard footsteps in the snow outside.

The tent flap opened, and a slight cold breeze blew in at Marinette's back.

She saw his shadow in the wall of the tent... and she knew. She smiled and pretended to be asleep, breathing slowly and steadily.

But he didn't buy it.

His warm hand brushed her back and ran up towards her head, and she let out a dreamy sigh.

"Can't sleep?" Adrien asked.

Marinette shook her head and glanced over her shoulder at him. "You?"

He shrugged. "I think I've had my fill of sleep for the past two months, don't you?"

She smirked, then reached up and pulled his hand towards her face. She gave his fingers a soft kiss. "Stay with me?"

"As my lady wishes."

Marinette shoved over and allowed him to slide under the blankets next to her. Her head now rested on his chest, and Adrien had both his arms wrapped safely around her. Marinette sighed again as she snuggled closer against his warm chest.

He kissed her forehead and whispered, "Whatever happens, I will always be here for you."

Marinette tried not to cry. "I know," she murmured as his heartbeat became her new favourite lullaby. "Just... never let me go."

"Cat's honour."

She smiled again.

Eventually, she slipped into a warm and peaceful dream.

A dream of spring and green forests and sunshine and laughter... and a dance in the arms of her hooded thief.


	26. 5:2: At Death's Door

**PART 5:**

 _ **Chapter 2:**_

 _ **At Death's Door**_

The three kingdoms marched together.

Bridgette never imagined she would live to see such a thing happen. And if she did, she had assumed she would be an old queen by then, living out the rest of her days in a warm bed – not a princess in her early-twenties riding out on horseback onto a cold battlefield.

But now was not the time to be nitpicky. And regardless of her age, Bridgette would never stop defending her people from the forces of evil.

She led the entire charge, making sure Marinette's red spotted cloak was secured over her gleaming silver armour. Nathaniel rode at her right, dressed entirely in black armour with a matching cape. His hair was no longer tomato-red, but gleaming gold.

 _Rose really does work her wonders_ , Bridgette thought, _and not just with disguises._ The princess looked back behind her at the healer, who sat on one of the closer wagons with Mylene with their handmade stash of potion bombs. Ivan, Kim, Max and Juleka walked alongside them, as did the fairies Tikki and Plagg. All of them had their heads held high.

But within their eyes, Bridgette could see the storm subsiding a little. They were worried, not for themselves, but for the four brave friends who were heading straight into danger without them.

The heir of Dupain-Cheng looked to her left at her parents. Her father was already a capable knight and an experienced leader, and her mother looked like an ancient swordswoman who had emerged from the shadows. Bridgette had no need to worry for them, but she worried nonetheless.

King Theo caught her eye, and beneath that golden helm of his, he smiled at her bravely and nodded. The princess nodded back and urged the army onward across the frozen fields of Agreste.

The united host behind them was a mixed array of nobles, soldiers and commoners, all armed and shielded and bearing whatever form of armour they could acquire. Flag bearers appeared every so often, their kingdom crests rippling in the winter wind for all to see. Wagons bearing caches of ammunition and medical supplies were guarded by sentinels on horseback. Archers kept vigil on the outer lines for any signs of danger.

Bridgette felt her teeth chattering. This weather wasn't doing any of them any favours, and up ahead, a dark storm was blowing towards them. So many things could happen: their hands would be too stiff to grasp a weapon or pull back an arrow, they could slip in the snow and become an easy target for an enemy, or the wind would cause the archers to miss their shots completely.

But none of it mattered. The army knew what they had to do. And so did Bridgette.

The Twin Mountains came into view, as did the jagged metal and black marble towers of Castle Agreste.

Bridgette raised a hand and pulled on the reigns of her horse. Behind her, the rumbling of footsteps on snow and earth ceased.

No one said a word. The only sounds were the huffing of horses and the harsh whistling of the wind.

Bridgette gazed at the sharp structure that sat guarded between the two hulking mountains... and swallowed. She'd never thought she'd see this place again. Now, her little sister was trying to find her way inside. And this time, Bridgette wouldn't be there to get her back out.

Nathaniel placed a hand on the princess's shoulder. "They'll be fine," he assured her. "If anything, it's _us_ I'm worried about."

Bridgette's brow furrowed with resolve. "Better that Hawkmoth thinks Mari and Adrien are out _here_ ," she said, "then in _there_." She lifted her chin to the castle ahead. "Let's try to keep it that way."

Nathaniel nodded. "After you then, Princess."

Bridgette ordered her horse to turn around so she could look into the eyes of every single brave soul who had ridden out with her: her parents, Marinette's friends – human and fairy – men and women who had trained to fight and others who had never fought at all.

Bridgette grasped her rapier blade and pulled it out smoothly. "Denizens of the three kingdoms!" she called with all her heart – the tone of a true queen. "By the spirits of those we have lost and the love we bear for those who remain, stand together... and let no darkness, no storm and no evil hinder you!"

She saw her parents' proud smiles, and Bridgette smiled back.

"Whatever awaits us in that castle," the princess continued, "has no reason to parley with us or show any sign of pity! We shall not pity them in return, nor shall we give them the satisfaction of surrender!"

Several people agreed with her with raised voices.

"And if this day is to be our last," Bridgette said, "then I am honoured to spend it in the company of the bravest fighters in all the three kingdoms!"

More shouts of approval.

"So let us go forth – as one realm – and push back this terrible darkness once and for all!" Bridgette cried as she raised her gleaming sword high above her. "Onward, my friends – to battle!"

The army echoed her fervour with a mighty, unified yell. Swords unsheathed, pikes rose, arrows nocked, and helmets clamoured down.

Then Bridgette turned back to face Castle Agreste, her sister's cloak billowing out behind her.

 _It's all up to you now, Marinette._

She lowered her rapier down and kicked her horse into a run.

The valley trembled as the rest of the army followed her.

* * *

"The army is approaching, my master."

Hawkmoth didn't turn around. He could see the messenger clearly enough in the mirror.

The king traced the lines on his face where Adrien's knife had sliced him. They were healed now and the mask had magically stitched itself back together, but the memory of it remained like an invisible scar.

Hawkmoth frowned darkly. _That spoiled brat thinks he can outwit me that easily? Well, two can play at that game._

"My master...?"

"I heard you," the king growled as he refastened the hard, iron gauntlets on his arms. "I've known they were coming for the last four hours, you imbecile." He finally turned to the snivelling Akuma Guard. "Next time you have some news for me, make sure it's something I don't already know."

The man bent over fidgeting. "Yes, my master," he said. "But, if I may ask, what do you want us to do?"

"About the army?" Hawkmoth sneered. "Let them try and stop us. It will be all the more entertaining to watch them fail." He crossed over to the balcony of his private chambers, his armoured boots clinking along the black tile. His new attire was mostly hardened leather and light-weight mail; with a few armoured bits on his arms, legs and chest to protect him from major injuries... assuming either Adrien or Marinette would manage to deal any.

And speaking of the two... "Are my stepson and his little love-bug leading the attack?" the king asked his lingering guard.

"Our eyes on the wall report they are, my master."

"Hmm..." Hawkmoth stepped out into the crisp, frigid weather and gazed down towards the ground below. The so-called army came swarming towards the main gate like little ants. The king smiled cruelly. _I'm going to enjoy stamping out each and every one of them._

"Give the order to attack, commander," the king said. "No prisoners, no quarter. Kill everyone in your path."

"And the boy, my master?"

Hawkmoth merely shrugged. "We'll let him play his hand for now," he replied. "But once the first phase my plan is complete, _I'll_ be the one holding all the cards."

* * *

Adrien breached the surface of the water and emerged in a cave of glittering rock.

Ladybug followed close behind him, gasping for air and shivering. Nino and Alya joined them both, the later shaking her braided hair like a wet dog.

They all swam towards shore, taking in the earthy beauty of the deep air pocket the underwater tunnel had led them to. Daylight streamed in from small openings in the ceiling, and where they shined, the dull jagged pillars and stalactites sparkled with tints of crystal. And the lake inside the cave reflected the streams of light, so the entire space glistened.

It still made Adrien breathless to see it despite his regular visits as a child.

Ladybug was even _more_ breathless. "Wow!" she exhaled with a smile. "It looks like the night sky!"

"Check this out," Nino said before cupping a wet hand over his mouth and giving a loud whisper, " _Echo!_ "

 _Echo, Echo, Echo..._

Alya splashed the huntsman. "Don't do that, you blockhead!" she hissed. "What if an Akuma Guard decided to take a stroll down here?"

Adrien sighed at her. "Trust me, Aly – the only thing down here is rocks."

"Let's hope so," Ladybug said. "Come on."

They waded into the shallows and emerged onto the rocky shore, teeth chattering and uniforms dripping wet. Adrien glanced over at Ladybug, who – in his opinion – looked ready for battle even when soaking. Her slim green wrappings and fighting leathers represented her home kingdom of Dupain-Cheng, and her midnight hair was done back in her trademark ponytails. Adrien missed the red cloak, but she would always be his Ladybug in his eyes. At least she still had her bow and arrows, along with a pair of long, elegant daggers.

Meanwhile, he no longer wore entirely black. His own leathers and tunic were the purple colours of Agreste, and he carried his belt of throwing knives and his metal staff (which Nino had graciously held onto after he left Bourgeois). The royal family seal was engraved on the shoulder part of his hard leather breast guard. He had first left his home as a prince... and that's how he was coming back.

Ladybug reached into her leather pouch and pulled out a small flask of pink glittering powder. "Ev-v-veryone... hold s-s-still," she stammered as she unplugged the stopper. Then she tossed the contents into the air above their heads.

Adrien squeezed his eyes shut, and at once he was engulfed by soothing warmth. His clothes and leathers dried instantly, and despite the chill dampness of the cave. Adrien sighed and opened his eyes, happy to see himself no longer wet and shivering.

The same thing applied to his fiancée, his best friend, and his new captain.

"Sweet," Nino said amusedly. "What was that stuff?"

"Fairy dust, courtesy of Tikki," Ladybug replied with a proud grin.

Alya looked over herself before saying, "You got any more of those just in case?"

"Just three. Here – we can each have one." Ladybug pulled out three more flasks out of her pouch and handed them to her friends. "Tikki says it'll bring good fortune however you use it, but you only get one shot. Use it only at your greatest need."

"Thanks for the tip," Nino said.

Adrien instantly felt guilty that Ladybug had used up her own share of the dust already, even if it _did_ prevent them all from freezing to death. So he reached into his pocket and pulled out her lucky charm. "Here," he said to her. "You take this."

Ladybug glanced down at the charm, then smiled and shook her head. "Not a chance, Kitty. I gave it to you fair and square – no returns."

"Come on," Adrien insisted sincerely. "When I used my dust to save you, you gave this thing to be for extra luck. And you were right – it really does work great. Now that _you're_ fairy-dust-less, you'll be needing it more than me." He gave her a pleading pout. "Have I ever lied to you, Bugaboo?"

Ladybug smiled and rolled her eyes. "All right, you win," she moaned as she took the charm in her hand. Then she frowned at him playfully. "And stop calling "Bugaboo" already – will you?"

Adrien gave her a feline smirk. "Aww, but it's so cute!" he whined.

Alya made a gagging sound. "Is now _really_ the time, you two?" she asked. "Bridgette and the others have probably reached the castle by now."

Ladybug's forehead creased with worry.

"She's right," Nino affirmed in his huntsman tone. "The sooner we get the queen and stop Hawkmoth, the sooner we can help our friends."

Adrien nodded firmly and snapped around. He pointed to a slim opening in the rock wall further down the cave. "This way!"

Together, they raced along the lake and filled into the slit one by one, only to emerge into a dark, shrinking tunnel.

"I'll take the lead from here, guys," Alya stated, her amber eyes glowing.

She took Ladybug's hand, and the princess reached back for Adrien, who in turn grabbed onto Nino. They walked carefully through the darkness in single file, but it was so dark Adrien couldn't see the back of Ladybug's head. _Thank god we have a shape-shifter on our side_ , he thought.

They moved forward in silence, until the piercing sound of a cracking stone made Ladybug flinch. "What do you see, Alya?" she whispered nervously.

"Um... yeah, you don't want to know," the redhead replied back.

"Let me guess," Adrien said. "We're in the catacombs now, aren't we?"

"What gave it away?"

"The smell." The prince crinkled his sensitive nose. "Bones and rot and... yeah, dead stuff."

"Wow. You described that perfectly. There are rows and rows of –"

"You know what?" Ladybug asked hastily. "You're right – I _don't_ want to know."

Then Nino called over to Alya in a loud whisper. "When you reach a pair of tunnels, take the one on the left. Then take two turns to the right and you should see some stairs and an archway with torches."

Alya followed his instructions and dragged them all through the darkness. Adrien could hear her sniffing out for any signs of trouble. He could also hear Ladybug's heavy breathing, and he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

A faint light appeared up ahead.

The group climbed a short flight of stairs and reached the stone archway Nino had described. Adrien and the huntsman lit two of the hanging torches and used them to light the rest of their way through the tunnel. Ladybug cringed away from the grinning skeletons that seemed to watch the group as they moved on.

It wasn't long before the four friends emerged in a wide, hollow chamber. It was built to look like a temple, with stone statues lining the walls and marble tombs lying in straight columns on the ground. Candles on poles were the only source of light down here, but they were all unlit so they stuck out like sharp pikes.

As the group looked around, Adrien recognised some of the stone faces on the tombs. He had seen them all in paintings and books: Frederick the Mighty, Sophia VI, the Wise King Xavier and Good Queen Lillian...

 _My ancestors_ , Adrien thought with a shiver, and he placed a hand over his heart with respect.

"We're in the royal mausoleum," he said to Ladybug as he led her through the columns. "The burial place of all the kings and queens of Agreste who have ever lived."

Ladybug looked over the various crypts with awe. "There are so many..." she said.

"My family has a long, old history," Adrien explained, "older than the other two kingdoms combined." He paused as they approached the end of the chamber, where the newer tombs resided. "My mother and I are the last of the old bloodline. See here?" Adrien held the torch over two tombs lying side by side, without a single space between them. "This is my grandfather, King Leopold, right next to his wife Queen Eva. They both died before I was born."

Adrien found it unnerving to stand beside the remains of the same king who had forced the man once called Reginald down the path of revenge and wickedness – maybe not directly, but it had been _his_ men following _his_ orders who brought about the death of Hawkmoth's beloved, Seraphina. Leopold's crusade against sorcery wasn't one of Agreste's proud moments, and not even Adrien's parents had wanted to share the details of it to their son.

That's when Adrien remembered his father... and he turned to the tomb sitting at the very end of the line.

The prince hadn't been here to witness the burial. He had been in his private rooms, pondering why the most-hardened, most-stubborn man Adrien had ever known could have _possibly_ fallen at the hands of a single, mad sorcerer. Maybe Gabriel underestimated his enemy's abilities. Maybe he wanted to prove himself worthy. Whatever the case, Adrien had hated his father that day for leaving him and his broken-hearted mother; for not even considering what it would do to his family if he died in battle.

Now, ten years later, Adrien stood and stared at the marble face of King Gabriel – still as sharp and hard and furrowed as the prince remembered. "Father..." he uttered with a constricted throat.

Ladybug was at his side, and she took his arm. Nino and Alya came around, their faces falling.

Adrien took a deep breath and said what he needed to say: "I won't let you down."

It was as close to saying "I love you" as he had ever come.

"Seriously – that's it?" Nino asked, making everyone glance up at him. "You'd better have a longer eulogy for _my_ funeral."

Adrien smirked at him. "How about... "He was faithful to the very end". _That's_ longer."

Ladybug and Alya burst into giggles, and Nino's dark cheeks darkened even more.

"You're the worst best friend ever," the huntsman groaned. "That's going to be _mine_ for _you_."

 _BAM!_

The chamber shook and everyone gasped as dust fell from the ceiling in long streaks.

"What was that?!" Ladybug cried.

 _BAM! BAM!_

More shaking, and some parts of the walls broke off.

Nino's brown eyes hardened. "Trebuchets," he growled. "They're throwing boulders at the ground. The battle's started."

Adrien and Ladybug exchanged a worried glance. Their friends were up there, and so was the princess's family. They were running out of time.

The prince turned to his companions, his green eyes flickering in the torchlight. "The distraction's in place," he said. "Let's do what we came here to do. Then we can help our friends."

* * *

Fire and earth exploded everywhere.

Soldiers scattered out of the way as best they could, but the flaming boulders being hurled at them still managed to topple some of them over. Screams of agony erupted – men, women and horses.

But the army didn't break off or falter. They pressed on towards the gate, which drew closer by the minute.

Bridgette gritted her teeth as she saw more whirls of fire shooting straight for them. "Incoming!" she shouted to all who was within earshot.

Nathaniel kicked his horse into action, his newly-blonde hair whipping about his face. Theo and Bridgette's parents charged with him, keeping their eyes on the orange star-like streaks.

Bridgette knew the trebuchets wouldn't do the Akumas much good for longer. Once the united host reached the gate, they would be useless. On the bad side, it would bring the army within reach of the Akuma's arrows and spells. It was a risk they would have to take.

When the castle was only a few hundred metres away, tiny black lines appeared from above.

" _Arrows_!" Bridgette shrieked as she raised her shield.

They came down quicker than the blink of an eye. An unfortunate few fell down with stiffened cries.

 _Bastards_ , Bridgette thought with a glare towards the unseen archers on the wall. "Protect the wagons! Archers to the front! Form a barricade!" she commanded before turning to Nathaniel. "Tell Rose to ready those bombs of hers. Let's storm this gate!"

* * *

Marinette watched wordlessly as Adrien and Nino felt around the crevices of the blank stone wall in front of them.

All the while, the earth-shaking rumbles from above made her flinch. She tried to focus on her breathing. Bridgette... Mama... Papa... Tikki and Plagg... Kim and Rose and the others – they were all up there, right in the heat of battle. Marinette was thankful she didn't hear any screaming... yet.

"You sure this is the right way to go?" the princess asked Adrien anxiously.

Her fiancé pushed against the wall for a moment and then grinned back at her. "Positive."

"You sure it won't lead straight into the dungeons?" Alya added sourly. "Or a room full of armed Akumas? Or Hawkmoth's private chambers?"

"Come on, ladies," Nino assured as he ran his fingers along the corners. "Have a little faith."

Alya folded her arms with a shrug. "I'm just saying... There's a secret door you say only people inside the castle know about. And... you both used to live here. And you still can't open it."

"Hey – we're trying, all right?" Nino grumbled over his shoulder. "In our defence, we've never had to open it from _this_ side before."

Marinette put a hand on Alya. "Give them a minute," she insisted.

"We don't have a minute," the shape-shifter argued more sharply.

"They're doing their best, Alya..."

"Do you _not_ hear what's going on up there? Aren't you worried?"

Marinette flushed and her eyes became needles. Then she jerked her hand away. "Don't ever ask me that again," she snapped. " _Of course_ I'm worried! I have a family up there – unlike _you_!"

Adrien and Nino stopped what they were doing.

Alya's amber eyes grew wide.

Almost instantly, Marinette's anger ebbed away. She shamefully turned her back on Alya and muttered, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I just... I'm sorry."

A pall of silence hung over the group.

Then the princess felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"No," Alya said. "I'm the one who should be sorry. You're right."

Marinette pivoted around back to the shape-shifter, whose eyes now became glossy.

"I lost my mother when I was young," Alya explained. "She was gifted, like me. My younger sisters might've been too, but they never got the chance to show it. My father couldn't pay off his debts. And on the day the landlord and his guards came to collect... I changed in front of them, just for a moment." Her eyes overflowed with tears. "When I changed back, one of the guards panicked and came at me with a sword... and my father leapt between us."

Marinette felt her insides turn cold. "Alya..."

The shape-shifter wiped her nose. "I tried to save him," she said in a strained voice, "but the guards pulled me off him while he bled out in the grass. Then they went for my sisters." She shook her head. "In that instant, my anger took over. I changed again... and this time, the landlord and his guards were dead at my feet."

Marinette glanced over at Nino, who nodded solemnly. Adrien looked saddened as well, but it was clear in his eyes he had heard this story before too.

"That's when I realized..." Alya continued, still sniffling, "...my sisters would never be safe so long as I stayed with them. I had _killed_ in front of them. I was a monster in their eyes." She lowered her head. "So I took them to my aunt and uncle, who promised to take care of them while I... tried to figure things out." Alya took a deep breath, and more tears fell down her cheeks. "I haven't seen my sisters in over a year. And in that time, I had to pretend I was alone; that I had no family to go back to. It was the only way to keep those two innocent little girls safe from anyone who tried to hunt me. Because of who I am, I can't go back to them."

Marinette felt her own eyes tearing up.

Alya smiled up at her and stammered, "You have no idea... how lucky you are... to have a family to constantly worry about every day... To have a sister you can always go back to..."

"Alya," Marinette said shakily, "I'm _so_ sorry..."

She threw her arms around the redhead and buried her face in her neck. Alya did the same, sobbing silently.

They stood there for a short moment, and Marinette could smell wilted flowers and rain and salt in the shape-shifter's hair. It smelled like a broken heart.

The princess felt her core burn. _No_ , she thought. _No more broken hearts. No more sadness, no more hurt. This_ has _to end._

Marinette pulled away and grasped her best friend's head tenderly with both hands. "You're not alone, Alya," she stated fiercely. "You _will_ see your sisters again. You _will_ get your family back." She looked over to Adrien and Nino. "We _all_ will."

Her golden-haired thief smiled at her caringly.

Nino nodded and turned to his best friend. "Then what are we waiting for?" he asked with a valiant tone. "Let's get this thing open and go home!"

"With pleasure," Adrien said.

The two men turned back to the wall, laid both hands on it, and began pushing against the hard stone with all their might.

Bits of dust fell from the sides, and there was a bit of groaning and creaking along the edges.

Adrien hissed and pushed instead with his shoulder, his feet sliding in the dirt. Nino remained where he was, bending over so that he had more power in his arms.

Marinette's brow furrowed... and she rushed over and flattened her back against the wall beside Adrien. He looked at her with wide eyes, and he grinned.

The princess planted her feet into the ground and pushed, growling and squeezing her eyes shut. Her back muscles roared in defiance and her shoulders stiffened so hard they felt like they would pop off, but Marinette didn't stop.

Then... Alya was with her, leaning on the wall with both hands and gritting her teeth like an animal. "Together!" she shouted.

Marinette smiled and pressed harder against the stones, as did Adrien and Nino.

Then... the wall began to slide forward.

"It's working!" Adrien cried happily.

"Less talking, more pushing – then we can celebrate!" Nino called.

"Come on – we can do this!" Marinette urged.

As one, they shoved the stone further away.

Just then, it clicked into the ground... and inched open from the left side, letting in a bright bluish light.

Glancing at each other excitedly, the four friends secured their hands on the edge and heaved it to the right. The secret door easily slid into the wall behind them and the opening grew wider and wider.

Finally, the entrance was wide open, and they all stopped to catch their breaths.

The blue light nearly blinded Marinette, but she shielded her eyes and blinked rapidly to adjust to the sudden flare.

That's when she saw it – just as lustrous and beautiful as when she had last seen it.

Nino's jaw dropped. "Sweet celestial stars!"

Alya gasped. "Is that... _crystal_?!"

"Uh-huh," Marinette uttered. She turned to Adrien, who was smiling with smug pride, and her own mouth curled upward. "You knew all along the tunnel would lead us here, didn't you?"

"I wanted to surprise you," Adrien claimed.

The group filed into the chapel, which was alit with rainbow light thanks to the crystal coffin that still sat on the altar in front of them.

And Queen Vivienne remained in her glistening case, sleeping peacefully.

As Adrien and Marinette strode up to it, Nino turned to Alya and said softly, "Come on – let's secure the entrance."

Alya nodded and ran with him around the altar and down the aisle towards the great oaken doors.

Marinette would have joined them, but then she saw Adrien's awestruck expression and she remained at his side.

Her princely thief placed a hand on top of the diamond-like covering. He peered down at his mother's face... and huffed a small laugh. "She hasn't changed a bit," he murmured. "Hawkmoth was right – you _are_ frozen in time under the sleeping curse."

Marinette glanced between him and the queen. Then she rubbed his back. "I can help you open it," she offered.

He looked at her. "You don't mind?"

"Well, it _does_ look heavy. And she _is_ my future mother-in-law."

Adrien smirked. "Very well – ladies first."

 _I had to say something_ , Marinette thought with a shake of her head as she inched around to the other side of the coffin.

As one, she and Adrien grabbed the ends of the cover.

As one, they lifted it up and flung it over the edge. It fell to the ground with a ringing clatter.

"Huh..." Marinette said perkily. "Not as heavy as I thought."

Adrien came around to stand beside her, and they both gaped at the fully-revealed Queen Vivienne. She was a true picture of royal beauty, with long glistening golden locks around her sharp face and her feathery-white laced gown flowing down along her slim figure.

Marinette looked up at Adrien. She knew what he had to do, but it still made her feel awkward.

He caught her stare and stroked her chin. "Try not to be _too_ jealous, Bugaboo," he said with a wink.

She rolled her eyes at him and stepped away. "Just do it," she groaned.

"A little faster would be nice!" Nino called. "We need to get moving!"

Adrien nodded at him, then at Marinette. He brushed the top of his mother's head and smiled. "Time to wake up, Mother," he said before bending down over the queen... and kissing her on the forehead.

There was a soft _WHOOSH_ and Marinette gasped, her hair tails blowing behind her. She could've sworn the rest of the crystal sparkled like sunlight on water. _So_ that's _what it feels like_ , the princess thought.

Adrien straightened up.

And at that moment, Queen Vivienne's eyes flew open and she inhaled deeply.

Marinette smiled.

Green eyes, like sun-streaked grass on a clear summer day.

"I'm starting to see the resemblance," Marinette joked.

Adrien laughed heartily and placed a hand on the queen's shoulder. "Mother..." he said.

Vivienne blinked and looked up at him, more surprised than relieved. "Adrien?" she said in a deep but gentle voice: a queen's voice. She reached up and touched her son's cheek. "Is that really you? Is this another dream?"

Adrien shook his head smiling. "No – it's really me. The curse is over. We're both awake."

Vivienne sighed with a bright smile. "Oh, sweetheart... Thank you." She sat up slowly before pulling Adrien into a motherly embrace.

Her son held her tight. "I told you I'd come and wake you up, didn't I?" he asked. "You know I never break my promises."

Marinette tried not to cry again. Adrien had been waiting for this moment for a long time, and now... she was starting to feel like _she_ had to.

When they pulled away, Vivienne finally saw the blue-eyed princess and tilted her head. "Oh... and who is your lovely companion?" she asked with a twinkle in her voice.

Marinette blinked and brushed her head nervously. "I'm... Ma-Ma-Majesty, Your Marinette." She squealed and quickly corrected herself. "I mean... Ma-Marinette! Your Majesty."

Vivienne giggled into her hand.

Adrien smiled again and said, "She's my fiancée, Mother."

The queen's green eyes widened. "Oh, goodness! How long _have_ I been gone?" She swept her feet over the edge of the coffin and let Adrien help her down. "You'll both have to tell me how you two met."

"It's a crazy tale," Marinette warned her bashfully.

"It'll have to wait," Alya's voice called out. "I just took a peek outside. The army's already reached the gate, but they're getting hammered. We need to go!"

Marinette's uneasiness was replaced with concern.

"Army?" Queen Vivienne asked. "What army? Adrien, what's happening?"

Her son turned back to her. "We're taking back the castle," he replied firmly. "But first, we need to get you out of here." He looked at Marinette and said, "You take point and head left. We'll make a straight shot for the stables and hopefully find a horse to –"

"Adrien, wait," his mother suddenly broke in, grasping his arm. "We can't leave yet."

The two lovers gaped at her.

"Why not?" Adrien asked worriedly.

The queen's face appeared to go blank as she replied, "It's about your father. He left something for you here – in the castle."

Adrien's eyes widened.

Marinette glanced between them before asking, "What... What something?"

"A weapon, I think;" the queen explained, "something Gabriel made in case you ever needed to defeat someone as powerful as Hawkmoth. Something that can nullify his powers and render him vulnerable."

Adrien blinked at her – in disbelief or uncertainty, Marinette couldn't tell. "What weapon?" he enquired. "How does it work?"

Vivienne shook her head. "I don't know – I barely understand it myself. I'm only telling you what your father wanted you to know." She stared into Adrien's eyes – _her_ eyes – entreatingly. "Please, son... you must listen to me. It might be our only chance of destroying Hawkmoth for good. He has tormented our family for far too long. But you can end all this right now! I know where the weapon is: your father's old study on the other side of the castle!"

Adrien nodded with understanding. "Past the dungeons - I remember. It makes sense Father would hide something there. That's where he always went to be alone in his work, and no one else was allowed down there." He paused for a moment, deep in thought.

Marinette eyed him incredulously. "Then what are we standing around here for?" she asked, slapping her arms at her sides. "If this weapon can help us defeat Hawkmoth, we should hurry now and get it while we still can! Adrien, our friends are out there, waiting for us..."

"I know," Adrien said, though there was a strange gleam in his eye Marinette had never seen before. "But the only way we can help them now is to take out the king. My mother's right – we need to end this." He turned back to the queen. "Stay close to me, and I'll protect you. Okay?"

Vivienne smiled warmly at him. "Don't worry, sweetheart – I'll never leave your side again."

* * *

"Don't worry, sweetheart," Hawkmoth spoke into the beating heart in his hand with a sweet, honeyed voice, "I'll never leave your side again."

In the magic mirror, he saw Marinette say to everyone in the chapel, "All right – let's go! Alya, you and I are up front. Nino, you take the rear."

Hawkmoth watched with a rumbling laugh as Adrien extended a hand to his mother and pulled her alongside him as he followed his beloved princess outside.

"Congratulations, my little prince," the Sorcerer King said with a wicked sneer, "you've just awakened your own doom. And this time, no act of _true love_ will save you."

He raised the hand with the queen's heart into the air like a trophy. "My revenge will finally be complete!" he praised.

He let out a billowing cackle that carried out into the winds of war and death raging outside his tower.

* * *

 **MB: Uh oh... Didn't see _that_ one coming, did you? Mwahahahahaha!**

 **I will admit... During the secret door scene, I had the music "Breakout" from Disney's _Dinosaur_ in the background (the song belongs to the one and only James Newton Howard).**

 **Only four more chapters to do! Whatever will happen now?!**


	27. 5:3: Moths to a Flame

**MB: Hey, everyone! Sorry this took over a week to do. Final battles are definitely not my forte, and I wanted to make sure I had a good outline for the rest of the story before I submitted the next chapter.**

 **Also, I changed "workshop" from the last chapter to "study".**

 **Thank you all for your patience. I promise the next one will be quicker... and it will be all the more epic.**

 **Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **PART 5:**

 _ **Chapter 3:**_

 _ **Moths to a Flame**_

Stone crumbled. Shots fired. Screams sounded.

Bridgette's horse took an arrow to the neck, and it fell over with a mortal shriek. The princess toppled from the steed and quickly lifted her shield to block another onslaught of arrows.

But the moment Bridgette lowered her guard, she heard Nathaniel shout not too far away, "Princess, look out!"

Bridgette barely saw the incoming fire – literally, _fire_ – before someone collided with her front and a searing blast exploded at her feet.

A shrill ringing in the princess's ears made her head hurt. One of her arms was burning. The blue flames ignited her metal gauntlet, and it began to bubble and melt into her skin like wet silver. Bridgette cried out and slammed her arm into the snow several times, snuffing out the blue fire before un-strapping the twisted gauntlet and flinging it away.

 _Magical fire that can melt armour? Lovely._ Bridgette groaned and sat up as several of her fellow guards formed up in front of her with their shields.

Shaking her head, the princess looked up... and gasped.

Nathaniel hadn't been as lucky as her when the blast hit. He lay on his front in terrible pain, the armour at his back blazing and dripping away. The blue fire was eating him alive.

"NATE!" Kim roared as he threw another one of Rose's bombs up and over the wall. The resulting explosion sent three Akuma archers flying.

Bridgette wasted no time. She scrambled up and kneeled beside Nathaniel, using her gloved hands to bat out the flames or otherwise cover them with snow.

By the time she succeeded, the damage had already been done. The back-plates had completely melted off, and the bard's skin was now glistening with red, cracked scars that turned deathly purple as they cooled. Bridgette winced. Now she would never look at the colour purple the same way again.

"Hang in there!" the princess urged Nathaniel as she waved Kim forward.

The strongman helped her lift the wounded bard up by one his arms while Bridgette supported the other. They carried Nathaniel over to one of shield barricades, where Juleka was preparing to throw another bomb. The spy's face turned ghostly upon seeing the state of her boyfriend, and she shouted for Rose.

As Bridgette and Kim lowered Nathaniel on his side, they turned to each other.

"We have to fall back, Your Highness," Kim said reluctantly.

"No!" the princess growled. "We have to buy Marinette more time!"

"Which won't be very long!" Kim argued with a steel gaze as sharp as two twin arrows. "Unless we can _miraculously_ scale that wall without being killed, we have no way of getting that gate open! And the number Akumas double every time we take one out!"

She knew he was right, but Bridgette had inherited her father's stubbornness. "We don't have a choice," she said defiantly. "I'll throw _myself_ up there if I have to, but I'm NOT abandoning my sister! You hear me?"

Kim's eyes immediately softened, and he grasped her shoulder in a firm grip – which Bridgette found to be both surprising _and_ insulting. "I never said you should leave her, _Firebird_ ," he said, the corner of his mouth curling up. "I'm saying you won't do Marinette any further good if you end up dead."

Bridgette gaped at him, unsure whether she was flustered or if that was just the heat from the small fires around her. _What did he just call me?_

A high-pitched voice interrupted the blunette before she could say anything. "Move – let me see him!"

Bridgette and Kim shifted out of the way as Rose and Juleka kneeled over the semi-conscious Nathaniel, the latter stroking his face with a pained expression.

"Hey!" called a high, male voice.

Everyone looked up to see Max diving behind their barricade. The little trap master lifted his faceguard up, revealing a frantic expression.

"We're running low on bombs," Max panted, "and King Theo's been injured. Plus, I couldn't find a weak spot in the gate – unsurprisingly – so unless you guys can fly, our odds of even _surviving_ this battle are about..."

"Fly..." Bridgette repeated absent-mindedly. Then her bluebell eyes lit up with an idea, and she snapped back to Kim with a sly grin. "We don't need to scale the wall – but _fly over it_!"

The strongman blinked at her. "Yep – you are _definitely_ Marinette's sister," he sighed.

Bridgette ignored him and turned to the others. "Has anyone seen those two fairies?"

* * *

Six Akuma Guards tried to stop Marinette and her friends halfway through a hallway.

Three of Marinette's arrows brought down two of them. All the while, she stood guard in front of Queen Vivienne, keeping her eyes locked on any others who tried to slip through.

Not that Adrien and Nino would let them. One of the Akumas parried with Adrien before taking a blow to the stomach from the latter's staff... and then a hatchet to the back from Nino. Then Adrien spun around and kicked the sword of another guard away, allowing Alya to leap onto the man and sink her teeth into his neck.

One of the remaining two Akumas – who had a bad wound in his side – turned towards Marinette with gritted teeth and charged.

"Watch out!" Adrien's mother cried from behind her.

Marinette's dagger was in her hand before the queen took a breath.

It sliced upward along the man's sword arm, making him scream, before the princess twirled and drove the blade into the flailing Akuma's abdomen. He fell choking on his own blood.

With a deep breath, Marinette turned to the queen. "Are you all right?" she asked softly.

Vivienne nodded with a hand on her heart, her green eyes glimmering with awe. "Thanks to you," she said. "I knew your mother's people were warriors but... I've never had the privilege to witness their skills in person."

Marinette shrugged. "Actually, my _father_ taught me how to wield a dagger. But the dancing part was my mother's doing."

"Pardon me, Your Highnesses," Alya chimed in once she turned human again, "but can we save the whole mother-and-daughter-in-law bonding for later?"

Nino pulled out one of his hatchets from a fallen guard. "I wasn't expecting this many guards at once. Who knows how many more there are inside the castle."

Adrien lifted his staff over his shoulder and nodded. "In other words, we shouldn't let our _guard_ down." He pointed to one of the fallen Akumas. "Get it?"

The princess narrowed her eyes with a grin. "Really, Kitty?"

"What? I'm right, aren't I?"

As her thief winked and proceeded to lead everyone down the hall, Marinette leaned over to Vivienne and whispered, "Was he _always_ this awkwardly amusing?"

The queen giggled. "Only around girls he liked. And believe me, there were few."

"Can't imagine why," Marinette said with a grin as they moved on.

Thankfully, the only other Akumas the group encountered were either alone or too engulfed in conversation to cause them any grief. They fell to the companions before they could sound the alarm or run to get help.

It made Marinette more anxious than she wished. _This is too easy_ , she thought. _Why hasn't Hawkmoth tried to stop us yet? And if all we're facing are_ normal _Akumas, then... where are all the magic-wielders?_

"Guys!" Alya called over her shoulder from her spot along the side railing. "Look!"

Fear engulfed Marinette as she rushed over and gazed out towards the main gate below.

Smoke rose from the other side. Explosions went off on the walls and often in the courtyard, but the Akuma Guards pushed on through. Shouts and screams rang out and carried on throughout the entire castle.

"Shit," Alya growled beside Adrien, clenching her fists. "They're getting slaughtered out there."

"Hey – not in front of Mari," Nino whispered with a worried glance at Marinette.

Adrien followed suit. The princess could feel his sympathetic gaze on her.

Marinette looked like she was trying to decide between crying and screaming. But she settled for talking instead. "We have to help them."

Queen Vivienne placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "There isn't much time, my dear," she insisted with an impassive tone. "If we don't stop Hawkmoth now, _no one_ will be saved. The deaths of the ones we love will go unavenged... unless we do something about it."

Marinette stared at her, noting how well Adrien's mother was taking this whole scenario. Maybe... a little _too_ well.

She remembered how Adrien had first described Queen Vivienne: kind, compassionate, protective, and hopeful.

Now, as Marinette looked into those hard green eyes, she couldn't help but feel a slight chill run through her. She had seen that look before – like some horrid nightmare from long ago – but she couldn't figure out in whose eyes she had last seen it.

"Mother's right," Adrien affirmed. "Hopefully whatever's in my father's old study will give us the advantage we need." He brushed his fingers against Marinette's and smiled when she turned to him. "Don't worry, my lady. If your family's just as stubborn as you are, they'll make it."

The princess snorted, but in that instant, that fearful chill vanished and her core hardened with resolve. "Then let's not waste anymore time," she said. "Lead the way, Adrien."

This time, they all sprinted down the hall and into a darkly-lit, enclosed corridor that led deeper into the castle.

Marinette found it hard to believe Adrien had grown up in this place. With all its black tiles, haunting archways and sharp-looking metal fixtures, it reminded the princess of something from a spooky fairytale. It certainly befitted an evil, murderous wizard like Hawkmoth. Maybe the castle had been different before he had reigned as king.

 _Whatever the case_ , Marinette thought as she spotted some thorn-like candelabras along the ceiling, _when Adrien and I move in, this place is going to get a_ serious _makeover._

She was pondering whether to add a touch of rose-gold or emerald green on the walls when the whole group rounded a tight corner.

As one, the five of them stopped.

As one, the five of them gasped.

And as one, the five of them stared into leering eyes of frozen blue.

Marinette immediately moved beside Adrien, latching onto his arm while reaching for one of her daggers with the other hand.

At the same time, Adrien extended his staff so as to shield her and the others from the man standing several feet ahead of them.

That same man chuckled cruelly, and the dark walls seemed to laugh with him. "Going somewhere?" Lord Hawkmoth asked, his silver face twisting up like grinning gargoyle.

* * *

The three Akumas in the castle gatehouse stared through the barred slit windows towards the fields outside, where the army crashed against the walls like waves of water on rock.

But rock was stronger than water, and soon the tide would flatten.

And the best part, the three guards had the privilege of watching the whole thing from a safe location. Keep the gate closed? Obviously. Don't let the enemy inside? Please. None of those stuffy, armoured goody-two-shoes rebels were getting in. All that was left for those three guards to do was sit back and enjoy the show.

All this epic excitement was making one of the men thirsty. He walked over to the bucket of water to scoop himself a mouthful...

Red sparkles exploded in his face. Everything was getting foggy... and the guard fell to the floor like a wooden board.

His two companions snapped around at the sound. But before they could contemplate what had happened, their heads became engulfed in green light... and then they bashed against each other hard. Both Akumas fell just like their friend.

The culprit – a certain annoying cat-like fairy – brushed his paws together with a fanged grin. "Like taking candy from a baby," Plagg mused.

Tikki giggled and floated up to him. "Shall we?" she asked sweetly, beckoning to the enormous wooden wheel that controlled the pulley system.

Plagg bowed. "After you," he said.

The red fairy flew over to one end of the wheel while her partner took hold of the other.

"On three," Tikki said as he body glowed bright red. "One... two... THREE!"

The two fairies pushed against the handles. Their magic gave them both a boost of power, and soon they gained speed and the wheel turned faster and faster.

There was a terrifying groan from the stones beneath them, and Tikki and Plagg knew their mission was a success.

* * *

"Hey, look!" Juleka cried, pointing out from behind the barricade.

Nathaniel stirred at her voice, and Rose looked up from her work.

Bridgette shot a couple more Akumas on the wall before she saw it.

Everyone else saw it too.

The gate was opening!

 _Looks like those two fairies came through after all_ , Bridgette thought with a triumphant smile.

The princess latched her bow onto her back and drew her sword. Then she stepped out from behind the barricade. The wind whipping through her hair reeked of smoke and burning flesh and death.

 _They've had their round_ , Bridgette thought with hardened blue eyes. _Now it's our turn._

She pointed her sword at the enemy castle. "CHARGE!" she bellowed to her fellow soldiers.

Kim and Max were on her heels, shouting with newfound courage.

A horn sounded somewhere behind them, and Bridgette heard her mother calling, "To the gate! All soldiers to the gate!"

They all filed in like a herd of big-horned sheep – weapons raised, shields high and faces scrunched with enthusiasm.

The Akumas above shouted frantically to each other and tried to bring the storming soldiers down with their arrows. Few succeeded, but the rest bounced off the army's shields.

A host of black-clad guards with twisted, thorny helmets greeted the army.

Bridgette bared her teeth and gripped her sword with both hands. With a mighty yell, she brought it down on the first Akuma who tried to challenge her. He failed.

The rest of them were overrun by the stampede of blue, green and purple.

* * *

The wooden handle in Nino's hand creaked beneath his clenched fingers.

 _Don't get mad_ , he reminded himself calmly. _That's how he got you last time._

Still, it was nerve-racking to look into the eyes of the man who tried to brainwash you into killing your best friend.

Nino glanced over at Adrien, wondering how _he_ was taking this whole unexpected confrontation with step-daddio. Fortunately, Adrien seemed more focused on protecting Marinette and his mother than trying to beat Hawkmoth in a staring contest. It comforted Nino to think that, at least this time, neither of them would be facing the Sorcerer King alone.

"Good morning, Vivienne," Hawkmoth finally said after a few long seconds. He glanced sadistically at the queen. "Did you have a nice sleep?"

Vivienne's lip drew up into a distorted line. "No thanks to _you_ , traitor," she said in that tone she once used on Adrien and Nino whenever they got in big trouble... only _this_ was much worse. "I will not let you destroy my family or my kingdom again. This ends now!"

Her diabolical husband apparently found that amusing. "I couldn't agree more," he said. He lifted his slender cane and pointed it at each of the companions. "Quite the ragtag band of heroes you've got here, Vivienne: your twice-cursed son, his blushing bug bride, my traitorous huntsman, and the prince's slippery pet." The king's cold eyes fell on Alya, and he smiled in a way that made Nino's stomach churn.

Alya took a step forward. "In case you can't count, _Baldy_ ," she spat, "that makes five of us and one of you. So I suggest you surrender quietly."

Hawkmoth lowered his cane and shook his head at her. "Surrender? And here I thought you all came here to kill me? Isn't that what monsters like you do?"

Adrien scowled at him. "She's _not_ a monster – unlike you," he retorted coldly.

"Are you sure? Look at her," Hawkmoth said with a velvety voice, his eyes never leaving Alya's. "All her life, she's been afraid of her own power; of how others see it. But a true fox is never considerate of how the rest of the animal kingdom views it. It's a scavenger; an interloper; a lonely hunter. It will fight even its own kind over a single scrap of meat if that's what it takes to survive." He spread his arms out to the side as if he wanted to give them all a big hug. "You know what must be done, Alya of Cesaire..." he said, making the shape-shifter stiffen, "...so stop making idle threats and show everyone just how powerful you really are."

In that instant, Nino caught a whiff of ashes and leaves and hot candle wax. Alya made a small growling noise at the back of her throat, and Nino quickly took her hand it his. Her skin was unnaturally hot.

The huntsman looked back at Hawkmoth. _What is he trying to do?_ He thought hastily. _It's almost like he_ wants _her to..._

Wait... What was that weird feeling he was getting?

It felt like a thrum of magic in the air, like something invisible shaking so hard Nino could feel the vibrations. But it wasn't shaking. More like... fluttering?

"Don't listen to him, Alya," Marinette said as she held her dagger out in front of her. "We'll take him together."

"Hold on," Nino said sharply, causing his friends to eye him with perplexed expressions.

That thrum was getting stronger... almost like it was beckoning the group towards them.

"Do you guys feel that?" Nino asked. "That... _shivering_ in the air?"

Marinette blinked at him confusedly. "I don't feel anything."

"Wait," Adrien said, looking around. " _I_ do." He locked eyes with Nino, and the huntsman knew what whatever they were both feeling, it was making them both pale in the face. "Something's not right." Adrien muttered.

"We don't have time for a debate!" Alya growled, making Nino look at her worryingly. A thin film of golden light pulsed across her face as she turned back to Hawkmoth. "Our friends out there will die if we don't finish this _right now_!"

" _Yes..._ "

All four friends snapped their heads back up at the evil king, their weapons in hand. Queen Vivienne huddled behind them, her eyes locked on the king.

Hawkmoth flashed a toothy grin at Alya. "There it is," he purred. "The aggression, the bloodthirstiness... I can smell it on you – like a raging forest fire turning all it touches to cinders. It completes you, my dear."

Now Nino was getting all fired up, and he moved to stand beside his clearly-distressed girlfriend. "Shut up already!" he shouted.

"Why?" Hawkmoth asked coldly. "She's a natural predator who has been tamed by humans, and now she wants to make her first real catch. Let her off her leash."

Alya spoke so low it made Nino and the others quiver: "You don't want me to do that."

Sweat dripped down the huntsman's neck. That weird feeling was stronger than ever, only this time it was shifting towards Alya. Now the air was prickling again, and Nino flinched at the sting of magic surging through Alya's hand. _What is going on?_

"Alya, you need to calm down," Adrien said as calmly and firmly as he could while glaring over at his stepfather. "Don't let him get in your head."

"Can you blame her if she doesn't want to admit the truth?" Hawkmoth leered. "Why else would she abandon those sweet innocent sisters of hers?" He dipped his chin and sneered up at the shape-shifter. "Monsters cannot love."

Two things happened at once.

First, Alya's eyes flared bright yellow and she let out an inhuman roar before tearing from Nino's grasp and charging forward in a whirl of red fur and orange light.

Second, she was almost upon Hawkmoth when the king suddenly melted into liquid shadow and hovered in mid-air, revealing something glowing and winged at its centre.

Nino's heart stopped. "NO!" he screamed, heaving himself into a sprint.

At the same time, Adrien shouted, "Alya, don't!"

But it was far too late.

The little red vixen couldn't stop herself in time, and she collided directly with the akuma butterfly.

The swirling darkness dissipated, and a cold laugh resounded through the hall as Alya collapsed with an ear-splitting whimper onto the tiled floor.

"Alya!" Marinette gasped.

Nino was at her side instantly, but he didn't dare touch her. _No... No, no, no... God, no! Not her!_

The vixen panted heavily as she heaved herself up. She shook her head several times with a snarl, as though trying to clear her head.

Nino steadied his own breathing and swallowed hard. "Aly..." he said with a voice that carried every single emotion flooding through him. "Aly, look at me."

The vixen turned to face him, her snout twitching. Amber eyes gazed fearfully into deep brown.

Nino smiled. "It's okay," he whispered gently, reaching up to stroke her face. "I'm here."

Those amber eyes he knew and loved blinked... and then turned maroon. Then crimson.

Then Alya caught his arm in her jaws, her teeth stabbing into him like burning daggers.

The huntsman cried out in pain. He heard Adrien and Marinette crying his name.

The next thing he knew, Nino was lifted off the floor by his agonizing arm and sent flying.

* * *

Adrien watched with horror as his best friend collided with the side stone wall and fell with a crash onto one of the adorning tables. Candlesticks clattered to the ground, and Nino slid to the floor like a sack of brown leather.

Adrien couldn't breathe. _Get up_ , he begged the motionless huntsman in the back of his mind. _Come on, man – get up!_

But Nino didn't stir or open his eyes. His tunic sleeve was all torn and bloody.

Adrien was about to rush to Nino's side, when Ladybug cried, "Adrien!"

The prince paused and looked over up at Alya.

All he saw was a blob of black and purple slime.

It molded and bubbled like a witch's brew... and then it grew bigger. And bigger. And bigger.

When it was about the size of a travel wagon, the dark slime fell away and vanished into nothingness.

In its place was an enormous white fox – muscular and long-tailed, with black claws and fangs and glimmering, purple tattoo-like swirls around her face, body, and legs.

It looked up at Adrien, Ladybug and Vivienne. Its eyes were as red as blood.

Then the beast that had once been Alya snarled viciously.

Adrien's pupils shrank, and he felt Ladybug grasping his arm tightly. His mother gripped his shoulder, covering her mouth with her other hand.

But in the back of his mind, Adrien realized now what that eerie feeling had been seconds ago, and why only he and Nino had felt it. They had both been infected by the same creature that now infected Alya.

Which meant Alya, like her two friends before her, no longer recognised friend from foe.

The monstrous fox stepped slowly towards the three royals, the hairs on her back standing on end.

"Alya, stop!" Ladybug pleaded, holding her hand out to their corrupted friend. "It's us – your _friends_!"

The thing only snapped her jaws at the princess, making Ladybug cringe.

Adrien stepped in front of his fiancée, and spoke with a more forceful tone. "Come on, Alya – you _have_ to remember! You have to fight it!"

"Sweetheart, stay back!" his mother begged.

"No, Mother!" the prince said resolutely. "She may be all fur and teeth, but our Alya is still in there. We can get through to her!" _I hope_ , he uttered in his thoughts while his forehead creased with worry.

The white beast crept closer, sinking lower to the floor as though preparing to pounce.

Adrien swallowed hard. "I don't want to hurt you, Alya," he said with a shaky breath. "Can we both agree on _that_ at least?"

Unfortunately, the only thing the fox seemed to want to agree on was who her next meal was going to be. She opened her mouth wide, teeth dripping hungrily, and leapt forward...

...only to stop when a loud whistle sounded from behind her.

Then, a heavy candlestick bounced off the beast's back with a hard THUD!

The white fox cringed and then snapped around with a challenging roar. Who had thrown that?

Adrien glanced behind the creature, and was stunned to see Nino on his feet again – hunched over and gritting his teeth but otherwise all right.

"Hey, you overgrown furrball," Nino cooed with a sly grin, twirling another candlestick as he stepped out into the open hall. "We're not done yet."

The fox growled menacingly and scratched her claws along the tile. Yep – she seemed pretty pissed off.

All the more reason for Adrien to be afraid. "Nino, get out of there!" he cried.

His best friend caught his eye and shouted back undauntedly as he stepped backwards, "Just get going! Find the weapon!"

Adrien saw Nino shoot him one last hopeful grin before he pivoted around and sprinted down the hall towards one of the side corridors.

The white fox growled and charged after him, her tail swishing out behind her.

" _Nino_!" Adrien and Ladybug cried in unison, the former reaching out to his friend.

But by then, both the huntsman and his rampaging monster girlfriend slipped into the corridor ahead and vanished.

Adrien rushed over and stared down the dark pass. There were barely any candles to be seen, and the passage seemed to downward.

"The dungeons," the prince breathed, unsure whether to be terrified or relieved. "He's luring her into the castle dungeons."

Nino would have nowhere left to run... but it might allow him to trap Alya, assuming he survived that long.

Ladybug's brow furrowed. "We have to help! Adrien, you still have your fairy dust, right? We can use that to –"

" _No_."

Adrien's eyebrows shot up, and both he and his lady turned to Vivienne, who glanced between them with that same impassive expression she wore earlier.

"Hawkmoth will be expecting you to try and help your friend," the queen explained coolly. "It's undoubtedly a trap, and I don't want to risk losing my son again."

Adrien stared at his mother with a parted mouth.

But, as always, Ladybug beat him to it. "They're our friends – we can't just leave them!" she argued.

Vivienne's eyes seemed to soften. "We don't have a choice, dear," she said shamefully. "There's only one way you can save either of them now." She looked at her son with pleading eyes. "Adrien, don't let your friend's efforts to help you be in vain. Whatever your father was working on in his study – that is our last hope."

Adrien's gaze shifted to the floor. A lump formed in his throat.

He knew Hawkmoth had to be stopped, but how many more people would he have to sacrifice in order to succeed? Then he remembered the first lesson he had learned in the nightmare world: _I can't save everyone_.

The prince looked up with hardened nod. "Then we stick to the plan," he said. "We make for the study."

Ladybug snapped to him with wide eyes. "Adrien..."

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Nino's always been a survivor, my lady," he insisted. "If anyone can get through to Alya, _he_ can. You did the same for me, remember?"

Ladybug's face fell, but she nodded sadly. "I hope you're right, Kitty," she said.

He forced himself to smile. "Aren't I always?" he asked with a wink. Then he took her hand and turned back to his mother. "Now let's get out of here before Hawkmoth realizes Alya's meal was ordered to go."

* * *

Snow fell from the sky.

Blood rained upon the snow, leaving dark red puddles wherever there were bodies.

Small fires broke out everywhere, feasting on wood, stone and flesh.

A cacophony of clashing swords and piercing cries of agony rang out through the courtyard.

To Bridgette, it was a mosaic of death. And there was plenty of it going around.

She couldn't see Kim or Max anywhere... or her mother and father. They had all disappeared in the sea of armour and swords. Had Kim gone to the wall to get a better aim? Were Tom and Sabine all right? Were they still leading the charge?

And finally... _Where is Marinette?_

Bridgette turned just as a tall black knight in glistening armour approached her, dragging a heavy spiked club along the snow.

 _These guys just keep coming_ , the princess thought as she wiped her face with her free arm. There was a small gash there were an arrow had grazed her, so now there was a bit of blood smeared on her forehead. Bridgette huffed a laugh. _Now I_ really _look like a warrior._

The Akuma knight sneered at her. He wore no visor, so Bridgette could see his dark purple eyes, puffy cheeks, and a grin only a mother could love. The two opponents sized each other up. All the while, the battle waged around them.

Finally, the Akuma raised his mace above Bridgette, and she lifted her shield up.

Big mistake. Because then the knight ducked down to the side and swung upward before Bridgette could stop him.

He struck the princess right in her breastplate, knocking the very breath out of her and sending her crashing into the remains of a burning trebuchet.

Bridgette tried to inhale, but instead ended up coughing. Her head swam, and the stink of liquid pitch filled her nose.

Curious, the blunette looked over to see a tipped barrel not far from her. There was a crack in it, and from that crack the flammable ointment spilled onto the ground.

Bridgette glanced over her shoulder at the trebuchet. It was blackened and charred now, but underneath the piles of wood there was still a small fire going.

The heir of Dupain-Cheng coughed again and glared up at the Akuma knight as he stepped over to her.

"No one's coming to rescue you now, little princess," the man jeered as he gripped his mace in both hands like a proud barbarian.

Bridgette spat at his feet and said with a sultry smirk, "Who ever said I needed rescuing?"

And in the back of her mind, she thought, _Marinette's going to kill me for ruining her cloak._

Without warning, the princess gripped her sword and drove it into the leaking barrel of pitch.

As the Akuma raised his weapon once again – this time to crack her skull open – Bridgette withdrew the blade and sent a long, splatter of pitch towards the man.

Black stained his eyes and coated his arms and chest. The knight let out a shriek towards the sky. His mace fell to the ground as he tried to wipe himself off.

Bridgette rose and dug her stained sword into the small fire crackling behind her.

The blade roared with flame, and when Bridgette turned back to the knight... he wasn't the only one gawking at her. Allies and enemies alike stopped to see the princess with her sword of fire, either with awe or with terror.

The princess herself was just as surprised. _Kim was right – I_ am _a firebird._ It made her grin.

The Akuma knight seemed to stagger back. But he didn't get very far.

With a valiant cry, Bridgette swung the flaming blade and stuck him across the chest.

Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't have done much damage to his armour.

However... the man was covered in blobs of pitch.

Those same blobs ignited instantly and encased the Akuma's entire body in a great whoosh. The knight screamed and flung about in his spot like a black demon from hell. Several people scrambled out of his way, afraid of letting the flames touch them too.

Bridgette's soldiers roared with triumph and pressed on against their stupefied enemies.

Bridgette would have cheered with them... until an arrow took out the dying man's screams and he fell headfirst into the snow, where he continued to burn.

Startled, the princess snapped around and saw Kim lowering his bow, his brown eyes narrowed on her. Two Dupain-Cheng guards followed him to the princess's side.

"No one deserves to die like that," the strongman said sternly.

Bridgette frowned at him. "You would have me show mercy to a man who has slaughtered countless innocent people?" she snarled.

"Mercy is what separates _us_ from _them_ ," Kim argued gently. "If we stoop to their level, we'll be no better. And besides, it's not like any of these Akumas have a choice."

Bridgette's face slackened, and for a brief moment, she felt guilt and realization clutch her heart.

 _Of course_ they wouldn't have a choice... because the Sorcerer King had robbed them of that liberty. Who among them were people other than cutthroats and ruthless mercenaries? Bridgette found herself looking back at the burning knight... and almost vomited. What if he had been a poor farmer once? What if he has a family somewhere?

What about all the other wicked soldiers fighting against the united host? How many of them were fighting old friends or comrades? Brothers or sisters? Parents?

All this time, Bridgette had never taken into consideration who these Akuma Guards were before Hawkmoth had corrupted them. Ivan had been one of them... and Nino too. And Adrien.

 _Adrien_ – the golden prince; a boy of pure heart; the hero of his people – had been infected by Hawkmoth's dark magic. And Marinette still wanted to marry him.

"God all mighty," Bridgette breathed with a shudder, and she lowered her sword. She looked up at Kim with glossy bluebell eyes. "If all we're doing is fighting our own people... then what does that make _us_?"

Kim gave her a sympathetic look... but then something behind Bridgette made his eyes widen with terror. "Look out!" he cried as she shoved her over.

Bridgette tried to spin around as she stumbled back, but then a blinding flash filled her eyes, followed by a clap of thunder.

Then she heard Max call, "Kim!"

Heart pounding, Bridgette blinked and searched the blurry background for any signs of the spiky-haired soldier. Then she saw him on his back, his face scrunched in pain... while the rest of his body sizzled with bits of blue lightning.

Bridgette gasped and collapsed beside him. "Kim... _Kim_!" she cried as she cupped his face in her hands. His eyelids were drooping, and he let out a heavy sigh as he sagged against her.

The princess shook her head. "No, no – Kim! Open your eyes!" She heaved him up and held him against her, shaking him as she did so. "Don't do this to me! Get up!"

 _Please don't die. God, don't let him die. If he does, it's my fault..._

Something sharp and pointy poked her in the neck.

Bridgette snapped up to see not one, but _three_ Akuma Guards surrounding her with their swords. When the princess looked for her bodyguards, they were dead on the ground – all struck by the same magical bolt that had struck Kim.

Bridgette almost burst into tears. _Marinette... I'm sorry. I tried._

"Call off your troops," one of the bigger looking soldiers barked at her, "or the king and queen will be the next to die."

The world grew colder, and Bridgette glanced behind the three men.

A great hush fell over the courtyard as three guests of honour were being brought up by a squad of Akumas to the front entrance of the castle, where all could see them.

One was King Theo, wearing a large white bandage across his chest.

The other two were King Thomas and Queen Sabine... and both of them caught their daughter's horrified gaze with twin looks of defiance.


	28. 5:4: The End of the Rainbow

**PART 5:**

 _ **Chapter 4:**_

 _ **The End of the Rainbow**_

Marinette liked this castle less and less.

Everywhere she, Adrien and Queen Vivienne turned led to one dark hallway after another. There were no windows or openings in the rafters to let in some fresh air, so the air grew thick and heavy with candle smoke. Marinette could barely see anything, and every shadow along the wall seemed more intimidating than the last.

"Your father had a study down here in the _dark_?" the princess whispered to Adrien, keeping her voice as low as possible in case there were any more guards. Or worse – Hawkmoth.

Adrien signaled them all to stop and he peeked carefully around the corner. When he turned back, he shook his head. "My father's study is actually in his chambers, at the topmost spire," he explained. "Down here is where he did most of his... well, secret stuff he didn't want anyone else to know."

"Not even his own family?" Marinette asked, glancing at the queen.

"Gabriel did a lot of things to ensure the protection of this kingdom, and the people he loved," Vivienne said with a rueful tone. "There was so much he wanted to learn about the world, and yet he feared what rewards that kind of knowledge would reap. So he did his best to keep others from knowing about it... unless it was absolutely necessary."

Marinette tiptoed next to Adrien, who stared down the hall with those sharp green eyes of his. He looked tense and eager at the same time.

The princess remembered when her thief had once spoken bitterly of how his father put duty before family. Except... Adrien had told Marinette back at the Eye of the Gods that King Gabriel had striven to ensure his family's safety before Hawkmoth murdered him. In fact, if it hadn't been for his protection spell, Adrien would never have lived long enough to steal a certain emerald ring from a certain ambitious princess.

 _Only now that spell is broken_ , Marinette thought with a tinge of dread, _and it's because of me._

The memory of Hawkmoth hoisting Adrien up by the throat made her shudder. _If only there was something I could do to keep him safe. True Love's Kiss broke Hawkmoth's sleeping curse... but what_ else _can it do?_

With any luck, there would be a book on that kind of stuff in King Gabriel's study.

Vivienne glanced over her shoulder, her long golden hair whipping about her face. "Hurry," she whispered. "We don't have much time."

Finally, the companions rounded a corner to the right and came face-to-face with a large, gilded mahogany door. An intricate circle of gears sat in the middle, and there was a series of small metal bars embedded into the wall, each one connected to the mechanism in some way.

"Here it is," Adrien sighed.

Marinette noted the rusted bolts and hinges on the door, and the dull, faded paint on the cracked wood. "Do you think it will still open after being sealed for over a decade?" she asked.

Adrien smirked at her. "Only one way to find out," he said with a sweeping motion of his hand. "After you, my lady."

Marinette snorted and walked over to the door. She looked up and down the thing, and then frowned. "There's no handle or keyhole," she said. She looked down at the mechanism in the middle, which was connected at the centre by a small red jewel.

Marinette shrugged and pressed on the jewel.

Nothing happened.

Scowling, Marinette pushed harder. Then she tried to turn the gears herself with both hands. "It won't work!" she growled.

Adrien patted her on the shoulders. "Take it easy," he said. "There has to be _some_ way to get inside. Mother, did Father say anything about how to open the door when he told you about the weapon?"

The queen put a finger on her chin. "Well, he _did_ mention something about... what was it again? Blood magic? I don't remember, but he specifically said _you_ would be the only one to open it, Adrien."

"Blood magic..." Marinette repeated absent-mindedly. She had heard of such a thing before. According to legend, blood magic could only be broken by someone directly related to the person who first cast it.

Marinette looked at the red jewel again... and then at Adrien. "Hey, Kitty – put your hand on the ruby."

"Huh?" Adrien blinked at her before glancing at the mechanism. "But you already tried –"

The blunette sighed and grabbed his hand. "Just trust me," she grumbled before placing the prince's palm right upon the jewel.

Suddenly, a veil of red light appeared over the doorway, making Marinette and Adrien stagger back.

The veil rippled and melted into the ground.

Then the red jewel glowed bright pink... and the gears began to turn by themselves.

Marinette's jaw dropped with awe as she watched the heavy locks pop out of the walls and slide back along the door. There was a loud, clicking sound... and the door swung right open on its own accord!

Adrien whistled. "When Plagg moves back in, I'm putting one of these locks on the kitchen door," he mused with a grin.

Marinette smirked. "He's a fairy now, Adrien – he can phase through walls."

"Oh. Darn it."

The princess giggled as she stepped through the threshold.

She was immediately struck by the ancient scents of books, parchment, dry herbs and carpets. But it was too dark to see.

Then Adrien stepped in... and several candles ignited at once, filling the entire room with more than enough light.

The sight was almost as ancient as the smell. Old wooden shelves on the back wall were stacked with books, scrolls and even alchemy equipment: bottles, shaving knives, burners, a mortar and pestle, and bits of dead herbs that had never been used. Up against another wall was a grey-wood desk riddled with curling parchment, dried ink bottles, quills and a magnifying glass – all covered with ten-years-worth of dust and cobwebs. The carpet along the floor had been woven to look like the night sky, with several constellations dancing along the blue in a broad circle.

It wasn't until she got a closer look when Marinette noticed faded white lines on the exposed walls. Then she realized they weren't lines at all. They were words, pictures and diagrams – all written and drawn in white chalk. Most of the writing was hard to make out now, but some of the images were still recognisable: fairies, a chalice, a man being cursed by a scroll, magical spells displayed in lovely swirls and stars...

"This is where he studied magic," Adrien breathed.

Marinette turned to him. Her prince's eyes were normal-sized, but the pupils were enlarged as he took the entire room in.

"This is where he figured it out," Adrien continued as he ran a hand along the books on the shelves. "He came down here all the time... to try and find a way to stop Hawkmoth from using magic against him. Against _us_." He eyed his mother when he said that, and the queen lowered her head sadly.

Marinette watched him for a moment with empathy. _So_ that's _why Adrien's father was so cold and dismissive_ , she thought. _He was trying to protect his wife and only child without anyone knowing, in case Hawkmoth ever found out._

But a father should never have to neglect his own son, even if for the right reasons. Maybe the death of Hawkmoth's lover had changed King Gabriel as well, not just Reginald.

With a sigh, Marinette looked over at the desk across the room. There was more writing on the walls, and most of the scrolls crumbled to dust whenever Marinette tried to pick them up.

Then, the princess saw something buried beneath a stack of letters – something thin.

Marinette picked it up. It was a roll of parchment tied with a green ribbon.

With careful fingers, Marinette undid the tie and unfurled the paper. Surprisingly, it didn't crumble at her touch. She stared at the words written upon it... and her forehead creased.

From behind her, Adrien said with a chuckle, "I'm just surprised all this research didn't make my father go crazy."

"Actually... it did," Marinette said.

She turned back to her fiancé just as he turned to her with a raised eyebrow. Marinette held out the scroll so he could see the words.

It was Adrien's name, written over and over again in beautiful rainbow ink. Some "Adriens" were big, others were very small. Some were written sideways. A few were in bold letters. Others were in cursive writing. No matter how it was written, Adrien's name covered the entire sheet of parchment until there wasn't a single space left to write anything else.

Vivienne walked over to have a look, and she smiled. "Gabriel came from a common family before he joined the royal guard," she clarified. "He had never learned how to read or write. So I decided to teach him myself. He would practice writing the same words and sentences every day until he got it right. It was amusing, but he... he never stopped..." She paused and seemed to gaze off to the side, as though lost in thought.

Marinette let Adrien take the scroll in his hands, all the while rubbing her lips together.

Her prince frowned at the thing and shook his head. "This doesn't make any sense," he said. "Why would my father leave _this_ for me to find? What am I supposed to do with it?"

"Maybe... it's nothing," Marinette suggested softly. "Maybe it was just his way of remembering who he was doing all this for. You know... so that he _wouldn't_ go crazy." She smiled at him awkwardly.

Adrien almost smiled back. "That _is_ a comforting thought," he said, "but it still doesn't solve our current situation." He stepped back over to the bare wall with writing on it, glancing between it and the scroll in his hand. Adrien groaned. "Father, what are you trying to tell me?"

Marinette hummed in thought. "Maybe the scroll is a clue of some kind... or that weird rainbow ink." She turned to Vivienne. "Your Majesty, where did –?"

She stopped suddenly when she realized the queen was glaring at her... with that same chilling look Marinette recognised from before.

Only then did the princess remember where she had seen that look: at the masquerade ball in Bourgeois.

 _Oh no._

But before Marinette could warn Adrien, the queen slashed her hand through the air at her. Marinette cried out as something sharp sliced across her hand, leaving behind a stinging red line.

Vivienne was upon her before Adrien snapped around. Marinette tried to wrench free as the queen slid an arm around her... until she felt the flat part of a hidden knife against her exposed neck.

Marinette's heart pounded, but she forced herself to stand still.

"Mother, what are you doing?!" Adrien shouted, his eyes wide with terror and bewilderment.

The queen gave her son that same cruel glare. "The fairy dust," she said grimly. "Put it on the shelf over there." She indicated with a nod of her head.

"Adrien, no!" Marinette gasped. "She's –!"

" _Quiet_ ," Vivienne snarled into her ear, and Marinette winced from the sharp tip poking into her main artery.

"Mother, stop!" Adrien cried, his tone shaken. "Why are you doing this?!"

"Do as I say!" his mother barked. Then she said ever-so-softly, "Or I _will_ kill her."

Adrien gaped at his mother. Then at Marinette.

She shook her head as best as she could. _Don't!_ Her bluebell eyes pleaded. _It's a trick!_

But deep down, Marinette knew it was hopeless. Adrien wouldn't risk watching his true love die, and he would never hurt his own mother.

With a sigh of surrender, Adrien stepped over to the wall of shelves, keeping his rueful green eyes locked on the knife in his mother's hand. Then, he reached into the pack at his belt and pulled out the vial of glistening red dust.

Marinette let out a whimper as her beloved thief placed the vial down on beside a leaning pile of books.

"Now step back over to the wall," Vivienne commanded, making Marinette groan to remind her son to play nice.

When Adrien looked back at her, there was only pain and confusion in his eyes. But he did as he was told.

Satisfied, the queen lowered the hidden knife from Marinette's neck and shoved the princess roughly towards her son.

Marinette stumbled into Adrien's embrace, panting heavily.

He cupped her face in his hands. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?" he asked urgently, frowning at the wound on her hand.

Marinette caressed it tenderly and shook her head. "It's just a scratch," she insisted.

But something was wrong. There was no blood leaking out of the wound. It was just a thick, clotted red line. Marinette knew from experience she was a heavy bleeder.

Adrien looked back at his mother again, apparently torn between being scared and being angry.

When Marinette followed suit, Vivienne spoke emotionlessly, "I warned you before, Adrien. Just when you think you have nothing left to lose..."

An ominous voice purred from the open doorway, "You realize too late that there is always something left..."

Marinette and Adrien gasped.

"No matter how small," Hawkmoth finished with a sneer as he stepped into the study, holding a glowing red object in his hand.

 _Thump thump, thump thump, thump thump..._

It took only a second for Marinette to figure out what it was... and who it belonged to. Suddenly, she felt dizzy with shock.

 _He must have taken it... before we woke her up._

The Sorcerer King chuckled at the two lovers, grinning like a spider finding a pair of juicy flies caught in its web.

Adrien gritted his teeth at him, his green eyes turning feral. "You son of a bitch!" he shouted, before tearing from Marinette and charging at his stepfather.

Hawkmoth only flicked his finger... and Adrien flew across the room.

There was a loud crunching slam that made Marinette jump, and then her prince toppled along the desk before falling flat on his stomach. Dust and parchment pieces rained down on him like snow.

"Adrien!" Marinette cried.

She heard Hawkmoth laugh again, and that did it.

The princess's face contorted with rage and she unsheathed her twin daggers in a heartbeat.

She barely took a step towards the evil king before her whole body went rigid – her blades held high, her eyes wide and her teeth bared. Try as she might, Marinette couldn't move.

"Save your strength, my dear," Hawkmoth said with a dark gleam in his blue eyes. "You don't have much left."

As the princess contemplated his words, the king raised the beating heart to his lips. "Stay where you are," he said forcefully.

Vivienne blinked but didn't move as Hawkmoth strode towards Marinette and snapped his fingers.

Just then, Marinette went slack and she fell to her knees on the ground. Her daggers bounced away from her along the carpet. She was happy to be moving again, but... Why did she feel so weak?

She stiffened as Hawkmoth lifted her face up to meet his. There was no point in fighting a man who could instantly freeze you with half-a-thought.

"In case you were wondering," the king said, "I also gave Vivienne the knife after I took her heart." He leaned in closer. "But I'm sure you've noticed, Princess – that's no ordinary cut on your hand, is it?"

Marinette wanted so much to spit in his eye, but she pursed her lips together instead and glared at him.

"I'll give you a little clue," Hawkmoth went on with a wicked smile. "Agrabanian viper venom – not enough to inflict pain, but just enough to weaken at a slow, sweet pace." He finally let go of Marinette and paced around the room. "With every beat of your pretty little heart, the poison spreads and grows stronger. Tell me – is everything getting hazier to you? Head feeling a little heavy? I've heard the lack of breathing comes shortly after."

Marinette tried to rise up, but it was extremely difficult to do so. It was like she was being weighed down by sandbags slowly filling with sand. Not to mention her hands were starting to shake. When Marinette looked at the clotted cut, she was startled to see tiny black veins appearing at the edges, growing longer and darker by the second.

The princess shakily looked over at Adrien, who was also up on his hands and knees. His green eyes bore into hers... and she knew that he knew. She was poisoned.

Marinette couldn't remember feeling so afraid before.

Adrien rose to his feet, glowering at his stepfather. "Give her the antidote!" he demanded.

"Always the needy one, aren't you, boy?" Hawkmoth mused with a frown. "Unfortunately for you, there is no cure for this kind of venom. None that I've cared to acquire, that is."

Adrien growled and charged again. This time, he too was completely immobilized by Hawkmoth's magic. He struggled hard but could not get free. All he could do was move his eyes, and they glanced down at Marinette with desperate longing and disbelief.

Hawkmoth laughed at the sight. "You never learn."

Marinette felt tears coming. "Don't hurt him!" she snapped. At least her voice was still strong enough. "Let him go! Let them _both_ go!"

The wizard smiled at her. "I'm not going to hurt your precious prince, _Ladybug_ ," he assured in a kindly manner. "You'll still have the honour of sharing one last touching moment together... until the poison takes you, of course."

Hawkmoth then proceeded to the bookshelves and plucked the vial of fairy dust into his hand, admiring the contents with a soft hum. Then he tucked the thing away in his armoured tunic.

The king turned. "As for Adrien's mother... I'm afraid the same can't be said for her." He held up Queen Vivienne's heart for Adrien and Marinette to see, his tone softening. "Thanks to _this_ , I now have the means of obtaining _my_ happy ending: my sweet Seraphina – returned to me at long last."

Marinette's brow furrowed. But Seraphina was dead. Was Hawkmoth trying to bring her back? Was that even possible?

"How does the queen's heart fit into _any_ of that?" the princess demanded.

"Come now, you're a clever girl – _think_ ," Hawkmoth grumbled. "Magic always comes at a price. To save a life, one must be given in exchange. It's just nature's way of retaining balance in the world."

He might as well have stabbed Marinette and Adrien in the gut, because that's how they both looked when they exchanged a horrified glance.

"No..." Marinette breathed, her cheeks pallid.

Adrien tried to make a sound, but the spell keeping him frozen refused to let him.

"Oh _yes_ ," Hawkmoth whispered with sadistic pleasure. The glowing heart turned his silver mask red, like a demon hovering over a wounded angel. "And thanks to you and your spell-breaking kiss, I now have the final piece of the puzzle. The game is over."

The king turned to his powerless stepson with a darkened expression. "Now _you_ will know how it feels to watch the woman you love die in your arms, and be utterly helpless to stop it," he gloated in a deathly-low tone. "All because you put your trust in the wrong person." He beckoned to the catatonic Queen Vivienne.

Adrien couldn't make a single facial expression for the life of him, but his eyes betrayed every single bit of anguish and anger that stirred inside him. Marinette could see it... and it broke her heart.

Hawkmoth snapped his fingers again, and Adrien slumped to the floor.

"Without further ado, I shall take my leave," the king announced with a surge of dark excitement. "I shan't keep my Seraphina waiting any longer. Ladybug, Cat Noir... I bid thee a most gratifying farewell."

He gave Marinette one final wicked grin before strolling towards the doorway.

This time, the blunette wouldn't let anything hold her back – not poison, not magic, nothing! She scrambled up feebly and raced towards the exit.

Adrien, unsurprisingly, did the same.

But neither of them made it in time before the mahogany door slammed shut behind the Sorcerer King. The two lovers pressed their hands on the door, but nothing happened.

There was a muffled, evil cackle from the other side, and then there was silence.

At that moment, Queen Vivienne let out a startled gasp and placed a hand over her heart... or, least, over the spot where her heart was supposed to be.

And when Marinette and Adrien turned back to her with pained expressions, the queen's green eyes flooded with understanding, and she sank to the floor.

"What have I done?" she said with a shaky sob.

* * *

Nino steeled himself, gripping his twin hatchets closer to the blade end.

 _Great idea to run straight into the dungeons, Nino_ , the huntsman thought sarcastically. _She'll never find you down here. Idiot._

What else was he supposed to do? He had to get Alya away from Adrien and the others long enough for them to reach the study. With any luck, they were already there.

And where was Nino right now? In the dungeon hallway, surrounded by nothing but sweaty stones and echoing darkness. But there was no sign of Alya.

It made Nino jitter. _Wasn't she just right behind me? She couldn't_ possibly _have fallen behind._

"Oh, evil, akumatized, monster version of my beloved girlfriend Al-ya?" Nino sang into the corridor.

 _Ee-ah, ee-ah, ee-ah..._

Nothing happened.

Nino took deep breaths, his courage wearing thin. Not because the girl he cared about was hunting him, but because he was afraid of what _he_ might have to do to _her_. It was clear Alya would not listen to reason – the bloody wound on his arm proved that – but there was no way in hell Nino could ever bring himself to kill the one woman who truly understood him; who saw him as someone other than a man with a tarnished past.

There had to be another way.

Something whooshed behind Nino.

He spun around... and saw nothing.

"Heh-heh, good one," the huntsman chuckled nervously into the shadows. "I'm _really_ scared now." He huffed and scrunched his face. "Come on, Nino – pull yourself together. This was _your_ idea."

 _Yes, I am talking to myself,_ Nino thought as sweat poured down his neck. _I am talking to myself... in a dungeon. And I'm about to be eaten by a giant fox. No pressure._

A large shadow moved across the floor.

Nino jumped and spun again, panting through his teeth. Still nothing.

Growling, the dark-skinned hunter lowered his hatchets. "All right, Alya – you win!" he called. "I'm not going to fight you. You _know_ I can't." His heart fell with a sorrowful drop. "Please... If you really are gone, then... you should just rip my head off now and be done with it!" He lowered his head with shame. "I can't get through this war without you."

Hot air blew at the back of his neck.

Nino straightened. With a hard gulp, he turned around.

A pair of hungry red eyes and a mouth full of gnarling, drooling teeth greeted him.

* * *

"Order your army to stand down," the Akuma Guard repeated to Bridgette maliciously. "Do this – and _they_ will live."

"No, Bridgette!" Queen Sabine called down to her daughter in the courtyard. "Our fates mean nothing compared to those of the kingdoms!"

King Theo said nothing, mostly because he was barely conscious due to his injury.

"Listen to your mother, Bridgette!" King Thomas bellowed like a bear fighting for his cub. "Remember your oath! Remember why we are all here!"

The heir of Dupain-Cheng felt her core turn to stone. Hot tears burned her cheeks. She knew the Akuma was lying – they would all be executed anyway. She couldn't save her parents any more than she could've saved Nathaniel. Or Kim. Or Marinette.

Only then did Bridgette finally accept the bitter truth: none of them were going to make it.

"Firebird."

Bridgette glanced down at Kim in her arms.

He gazed up at her with a cocky, pained smile. "No fear," the strongman murmured, "no pity, no surrender – that's what you said. You can't go back on your word now." He hissed from the wound in his chest but then sighed with determination. "So if this is the end, we might as well show these bastards what a _real_ unified kingdom looks like."

The princess stared at him – bright blue into hard brown.

In those eyes, Bridgette saw herself as Kim saw her: a woman forged from steel, a princess who fought for her people, a daughter who strove to be as great as her parents, a sister who never abandoned the ones she loved...

A leader any soldier would gladly die for.

This was her legacy. This was how she and her family would be remembered. This was how they would leave this world – with courage and love and defiance in their hearts. And they would leave together.

Bridgette smiled warmly at Kim and clasped her hand over his. "No fear," she said firmly. "Only honour."

He nodded proudly and squeezed her hand back.

"Are you deaf?" the head Akuma Guard snapped. "Call off your troops NOW!"

Bridgette looked towards her parents... and smiled at them.

They smiled back. Sabine was crying, but there was no regret in those silver eyes. Thomas seemed to sag back with relief.

Bridgette glared up at the Akuma with all her strength. "We will _never_ surrender to you," she announced so boldly and so deeply that everyone else heard.

The enemy soldiers snorted and chuckled at that.

But the princess wasn't finished. "So if you kill them," she indicated towards her parents, "you'll have to kill me as well." Her voice rose over the courtyard. "If we are to go down, we go down together – as one realm! One family!"

There were no replies this time, or sounds of mockery. But Bridgette knew her allies were with her.

The Akuma commander sneered. "So be it." He turned and nodded to two other soldiers standing by the king and queen.

Together, the men raised their swords with both hands... ready to plunge the blades into their kneeling prisoners.

At the same time, the commander standing over Bridgette lifted his own weapon over her head.

Bridgette exchanged one last loving look with her mother. Then her father. Then Kim.

A shrill whistle broke the horrifying silence.

Then a tiny, raspy voice shouted, "Hey, bucket-heads!"

Bridgette inhaled sharply.

All heads shot up to the sky, where two small figures fluttered above: a red one and a black one.

"We're going to ask nicely," Tikki called down snootily. "Let our friends go... and we'll spare you all from embarrassment."

There was a second of quiet... and then bawdy laughter broke out from all directions. Akumas were hunched over or otherwise tilting their faces up.

Bridgette and Kim eyed each other confusedly, as did Thomas, Sabine and Theo... and pretty much the rest of their forces.

Once the ruckus died down, the Akuma commander looked up and boldly asked, "You think we're afraid of two little insects?"

There was more amusement from his fellow guards, and Bridgette wished she could bang all of their heads together.

Plagg responded with a fanged grin, "No... But what about a _swarm_ of little insects?"

The chuckling stopped.

And then Bridgette heard it: a weird, buzzing sound. Actually, _lots_ of buzzing sounds, like a swarm of angry bees. And they were getting louder.

Kim saw them first, and his mouth fell open. "No way...!" he exhaled.

Bridgette looked up into the snow-ridden clouds... and almost forgot to breathe.

Dozens of tiny lights in all colours of the rainbow fell down towards the courtyard like giant snowflakes.

But they weren't lights at all... or snowflakes.

Bridgette grinned.

Meanwhile, the Akuma army looked up at the lights fitfully, and their murmurs of confusion turned into shouts of alarm.

Tikki and Plagg both glowed brightly and shouted in unison, "For the golden queen!"

The fairy army let out a unified battle cry – which sounded to Bridgette like a school of excited children – and they all sped towards the earth.

Fairies in all shapes, sizes and colours swooped down over the Akumas, bombarding them with glowing pearls that exploded into large puffs of coloured dust. The soldiers cried out as they were struck, some collapsing instantly, others merely blinded, and some swelling in the face or turning blue.

Fairy dust! They were attacking the Akumas with fairy dust!

Bridgette saw her father towering over his panicking captors before slamming into them with nothing but brute strength. Her mother landed a spinning Chengise kick to the Akuma who had tried to execute her.

King Theo limped forward and retrieved his fallen sword before slashing at an incoming guard who tried to stop him. Then Theo raised his blade as high as his wound would allow him. "Forward!" he shouted valiantly. "For the kingdoms!"

As shouts echoed around them, Bridgette grasped Kim's hand and lifted him to his feet.

He wouldn't stop grinning from ear to ear, even though he was still in a little pain. "Looks like you've got some new recruits, Firebird," he quipped.

Bridgette picked up his sword and handed it to him hilt-first. "Let's find out how long the old ones last, _Sparky_ ," she said slyly.

Kim blinked at her... then smirked. Then he took the sword in hand.

Then the princess and the strongman charged together into the fray of disoriented Akumas.

* * *

Nino saw his own reflection in those humongous red eyes.

How fitting – to see what one looked like when facing their death.

The white fox snapped at the huntsman with her jaws, and he fell backward onto the hard stone floor.

Nino wanted so desperately to back away from the beast, but he didn't. One, because he knew there was no point. And two, because he had promised Alya he would never run away from her. It was one of the reasons why she stuck around with him for the past year.

Together at the start, and together at the end. There were worse ways to go.

The creature stepped over him so Nino was now right underneath her. Her deep growl rumbled through her chest and up her throat, making her black jaws twitch.

Nino's own throat bobbed, and he smiled nervously. "I love you, Alya."

He closed his eyes.

He felt hot, stinking breath against his face, but he held his breath, waiting for the end to come.

Then, the growling stopped.

A slimy, wet tongue stroked his cheek.

Cringing, Nino inched his eyes open... only to see twin orbs of warm, sparkling amber staring down joyfully at him.

Then the white fox huffed something that sounded like a laugh and began licking Nino's face again and again.

Nino sputtered and tried to shove her off. "Blah! What the...! Ah! Stop! Stop! Aly!"

There was a swirling flash of orange light... followed by bubbly, obnoxious laughter.

Nino wrenched his eyes wide open this time.

Alya was kneeling right on top of him – armour, glasses, braided crown and all – and she was laughing so hysterically it made _Nino's_ insides hurt.

Then the shape-shifter took a deep breath and said smugly, "Gotcha!"

"You...!" Nino bellowed more out of annoyance than shock. "You... You little...! You actually... _You were faking it?!_ "

Alya snorted again and crawled off the huntsman. "Oh, come on, Nino," she groaned with a grin. "Did you honestly think I would let Mothball get under my skin _that_ easily? I knew that illusion was a butterfly the whole time – I could _smell_ it, for god's sake!"

That didn't make Nino any less agitated. "But you _bit_ me!" he said in a broken voice as he sat up, waving his injured arm in front of her. "And it still hurts!"

Alya made a face. "Yeah, sorry about that," she muttered. "I was trying to make the whole thing convincing for Hawkmoth. But as soon as he left, I knew you would try to draw me away so our friends could escape." She gave Nino a hopeful smile. "And it worked, didn't it? They made it through?"

Nino still couldn't believe any of this. "How... I... I saw the butterfly go _into_ you," he breathed in a softer tone. "How did you _not_ fall under Hawkmoth's control?"

The shape-shifter's amber eyes gleamed. "I'm part-animal, Nino," she replied. "Hawkmoth can only control humans." She sighed and her smile faltered. "He was right about _one_ thing, though. Foxes don't care how others think of them. They just... do what they can to survive." Alya glanced back up at Nino like she was guilty. "I only did what I did because I knew it was the only way to help my friends. Even if I became a monster... Even if... you all saw me become that same _thing_ my sisters saw..."

In that instant, Nino's anger, confusion and embarrassment vaporized, leaving nothing but empathy and relief.

Then the huntsman latched his good arm around the redhead and surprised her with a firm kiss.

When he pulled away, Alya was staring at him with glossy eyes.

Nino brushed her cheek with his thumb and said, "You were never a monster to me."

She smiled at him... and then gripped the front of his leather chest piece and kissed him back. Nino fell back upon the stones and Alya fell with him, curling her fingers through his thick, brown hair while he wove his hands in circles along her back.

"Just... don't ever... do that again," the huntsman uttered between kisses. Then he opened his eyes and cupped her face firmly in his hands. "I'm serious. I thought you forgot about me."

Alya bopped him playfully on the nose. "In case you haven't noticed, Huntsman," she whispered sweetly, "you're not that hard to forget."

"I don't know if that was a compliment or an insult, but I'll take it."

They kissed one last time, and then they helped each other back up.

"Now let's go give _Hawkmoth_ a reason to be afraid of us," Nino declared determinedly.

Alya's eyes glowed again. "With pleasure," she snarled before snapping towards the end of the dungeon corridor. "I can still pick up Adrien and Marinette's scents. Follow me!"

"With pleasure," the huntsman said with a grin as he took off after her into the shadows.

* * *

 _SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!_

Adrien rammed the door harder and harder with every thrust, and every time it made his arm stiffen and his head jingle.

"Adrien, stop!" His mother finally shouted.

The prince ignored her.

"It's no use!" Vivienne pleaded as bits of dust fell from the ceiling. "Hawkmoth sealed it with magic."

"I don't care!" Adrien growled as he began pushing against the door this time, his face scrunched and turning purple. "I have to... get us... out of here!" He gasped and sagged against the wood, panting heavily. "I have to..."

There were so many things he had to do: save Ladybug, stop Hawkmoth, get his mother's heart back, find Nino and Alya, and help their friends in the battle.

But Adrien couldn't do any of those things. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how much effort he put in...

His panting turned into dry, heavy sobs.

A hand touched his shoulder. "Adrien..." a weak voice said.

The prince's throat tightened, but he looked at her anyway.

Ladybug was smiling at him. Her skin was the colour of spoiled blue milk, and her eyes were sunken in. Her lips were white instead of pink, and the whites of her eyes were now sickly green. The cut on her hand was now so obscured by black veins it made her whole hand look like cracked china.

But she was still smiling. Even with death nipping her away bit by bit, she smiled for him. She continued to stand, though Adrien knew each step was a grievous effort for her. The poison was killing her... and just watching her fight it off was killing Adrien.

"My lady..." the prince uttered with a painful choke. "I'm so sorry. I brought you into this whole mess. I led everyone into a trap." He leaned back against the door. "I thought I could finally end all this; I thought we finally had a chance to stop him!" He hung his head down. "Everyone was counting on me to make things right... and I completely blew it."

Ladybug sighed softly.

Then Adrien's mother spoke, "No, sweetheart – _I'm_ the one who's sorry." She glanced between her son and his fiancée with guilt-ridden green eyes. "I'm the one who let Hawkmoth into our lives. I let him use me against you. And now I've given him the one thing he's always wanted..."

"Are we really going to play the blame-game here?" Ladybug groaned.

Adrien turned to her, surprised by her irritated demeanour.

"Then it's _my_ turn," Ladybug affirmed, looking back at her thief. "I could've let you walk away with my father's ring. I could've stayed in Bourgeois and married Theo."

She let out a harsh cough and bent over, and Adrien immediately held out his arms to support her.

But Ladybug looked back up at him with that same stubbornness she wore like her red, spotted cloak. "But if I had..." she continued, clearing her raspy throat, "I never would have known what it was like... to love someone like _you_."

Adrien's brow creased with sadness. "Ladybug..."

She smiled again... and then her smile dropped. Then her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her knees gave away.

"Ladybug!" Adrien cried, scooping her into his arms and lowering her gently to the ground. Her head lulled against his chest, and her breathing came out in short, heavy rasps. Adrien could feel her grow cold against him.

Vivienne fell beside him and laid a gentle hand on Ladybug's forehead. Then she lowered her head and pressed her ear against the princess's chest. After a few seconds, her rose back up, but her face fell. "She doesn't have long," she told her son. "We're losing her."

Adrien glared at her. "No!" he stated sharply. "I'm not losing her again!" He looked back down at his fiancée and lifted her face to meet his. "Stay with me, my lady," he begged. "I'll find something in here to help. I'll make a potion! Or one of these books will –"

"There's no time, son," his mother said firmly with a shake of her head. "Even if you had a potion ready, the poison's already reached her heart." Her eyes became red with tears. "I'm sorry."

This time, Adrien looked at the queen with sorrow. "She never gave up on me," he whimpered. "I can't give up on her now!" His chest shook again, and he pulled Ladybug closer to him. "We've always managed to find each other before... no matter what..." Adrien's eyes stung. "And now..."

"Silly kitty..."

Adrien blinked as Ladybug's eyelids fluttered open, though they barely managed to go wider than small slits. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, but she only managed to lift the corners of her mouth just a little.

"Don't you remember... our promise?" Ladybug said, her voice so soft and so staggering it made Adrien's heart break even more. "We _will_ be together forever... in life... and whatever awaits us after."

She reached up with one hand and laid it upon his cheek. Though there was no warmth left to be had in those fingers, Adrien clasped them all the same.

"I'm just glad... to be with you... at the end," his princess whispered shakily. A single, glistening tear fell from her eye. "And one day... I will find you again..." She let out a deep sigh. "I will... always..."

Her eyes closed. Her head fell back against Adrien's arm. Her hand went limp in his.

Her heart was still beating, but it was faint, stagnant... fading.

Vivienne covered her mouth with one hand and sobbed into it.

Adrien just kneeled there, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. She was still alive, but she might as well be dead. She was a strong woman, but strength could only last for so long. The prince knew with a sinking feeling that his lady was never going to wake up now.

Wake up...

 _Wait... that's it!_

Adrien straightened up with elation. "True Love's Kiss!" he exclaimed.

Vivienne looked up at him, her face blank.

Adrien merely smiled and cupped Ladybug's face in his hand. Then he leaned forward and kissed her deeply. Her lips were as cold as stone.

He pulled away and waited for those beautiful, bluebell eyes of hers to open.

They didn't.

Adrien frowned... and kissed her again. And again.

Still nothing.

Dread filled his chest once more. "No..." He grasped her cheek desperately. "No, no, no... It's not working." He snapped up to his mother. "Why isn't it working?!"

The queen didn't flinch from his emotional outburst. "True love can only break _enchantments_ , Adrien," she explained as carefully as she could. " _Magical_ ailments... not natural ones."

Of course it could. But Adrien refused to believe that. He looked down at Ladybug's serene face once more.

 _I can't save her. I tried to save her... but I couldn't._

Maybe Rose had been wrong all along. Maybe love _couldn't_ overcome all obstacles.

Tears fell from his eyes and landed on Ladybug's sickly cheeks. Even on the brink of death, she cried with him.

Adrien hugged his princess against him and squeezed her tightly as he sobbed, sucking in sharp breaths every time. "Please, my lady... Open your eyes," he whispered into her hair. "Don't go... Don't go where I can't find you..."

He couldn't see, but he knew his mother had turned away from the sight, leaving the prince alone with nothing but a dying princess and a broken heart. He could hear Ladybug's heartbeats growing fainter. He shed a tear for each one he counted.

Then... Adrien heard his mother gasp.

Not with sorrow or horror... but realization.

He heard scuffling along the carpet, and then Vivienne murmured, "Of course..." Then more loudly: "Of course!"

Adrien finally looked up. Through his tears, he saw his mother holding up a piece of curly parchment with both hands, her wet face lit up with delight.

"There's still hope!" Vivienne exclaimed.

Her son blinked at her. "Mother?"

She crawled hastily back over to him and practically shook the parchment in front of her.

Only then did Adrien see glints of rainbow dancing off of it... and he realized it was the scroll with his name written all over it.

"The answer is not in the scroll, Adrien," his mother said with a huge smile, "it's in the _ink_!"

"What?" Adrien wasn't sure he heard her right.

" _Unicorn tears_ ," Vivienne explained thoroughly, as though she was trying to teach him something important. "Your father liked to mix unicorn tears into his quill ink to turn it rainbow. It was one of his not-so-subtle ways of trying to court me."

Adrien stared at her for a second, and then shook his head vigorously. "You completely lost me, Mother," he said. "How exactly does that help?"

The queen gave him that cocky grin he had undoubtedly inherited from her. "Unicorns are holy creatures, Adrien," she stated. "Their tears are so powerful, they can cure a person of any ailments... _including poison_!"

It took the prince a moment to take it all in. When he finally did, his green eyes widened and he glanced down at the motionless Ladybug in his arms with renewed hope. "You think...?" he breathed.

"Yes!" his mother said as she held out the scroll in front of her. "And if I'm right... then I just need to..." She paused in mid-sentence... and then she did something Adrien _totally_ did not expect.

She took a deep breath and blew on the scroll as though it were a dandelion.

Suddenly, the rainbow-inked words scattered off of the parchment like shimmering dust.

Adrien's jaw dropped as the dust swirled through the air and scattered all over Ladybug, from the tip of her nose to her chest to the black cut in her hand. Her whole body seemed to glow, and then it returned to normal as though nothing happened.

Vivienne clutched the now-blank scroll with anxious fingers.

Adrien clutched his lady and looked longingly at her face. _Come on... Come on..._

It grew quiet. _Too_ quiet. Adrien couldn't even hear a heartbeat. Where they too late?

Something caught Adrien's eye... and he looked to see Ladybug's injured hand stitching itself back together. The black veins faded and shrank back. Within seconds, the cut turned from black to red, and then from pink to white. Then it vanished completely, leaving nothing but smooth, porcelain skin.

Adrien's heart surged with excitement, and when he looked back at Ladybug, her face was back to how he remembered it: full pink lips, rosy cheeks, and long-lashed eyes that were beautiful even when closed. Not only that, but her heart was returning to its normal, steady rhythm.

Finally, Ladybug's eyes blinked open... and she stared at Adrien with surprise.

"Did I miss something?" the princess asked as though she hadn't been poisoned at all.

And Adrien was crying again... with utmost joy. "Ladybug!" he squealed as he embraced her and rocked her back and forth with a choked laugh. "You're alive!"

She sighed into his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him fiercely. "Did you ever doubt I would be?" she asked with a sly tone.

He shrugged with a smile as he held her. "Truthfully... the poisoned knife gave me pause," he admitted.

She laughed. Then she grabbed both sides of his head and kissed him passionately.

He returned the gesture with a soft rumble.

Ladybug paused and cocked a confused eyebrow at him. "Did you just purr?" she asked with a snort.

Adrien blushed. "What? Nah – that's ridiculous. I wasn't _purring_... I was just... you know..."

He glanced over at his mother, who suddenly burst out laughing and hugged the empty scroll to her chest.

Soon, they were all laughing and embracing each other, not caring that they were still hopelessly trapped in a forgotten study where no one would find them.

Then Adrien looked at Vivienne proudly. "You were right, Mother," he said as he wrapped an arm around Ladybug. "Love does bring miracles after all."

The queen nodded and showed him the blank parchment. "Yes," she sighed happily, "and your father's love for you was the greatest miracle of all."

Adrien smiled. In a way, his father had saved Ladybug almost as much the unicorn-tear ink had. _Maybe that's why he left me that scroll_ , the prince thought. _Maybe he knew I would one day need it_. Adrien couldn't be sure, but his father had always been unpredictable. Kind of like magic.

The door boomed behind them, causing everyone to spin around with alarm and leap to their feet.

Then there was a series of clicking and grinding of metal gears. Someone was coming in!

Adrien and Ladybug eyed each other. With a firm nod, they drew their staff and bow, respectively, and crouched into a defensive stance in front of Vivienne.

The wooden door swung open, leaving a trail of red sparkles in its wake.

Two dark-skinned figures emerged into the room... and frowned at the great mess all around the companions.

"Do I _want_ to know what you lovebirds were doing in here?" Alya asked with an awkward look.

" _I_ certainly don't," Nino said with compressed lips.

Ladybug gasped with delight, and a huge grin broke across Adrien's face.

Then there was more hugging and laughing to go around.

"How did you get through the door?" Ladybug asked Alya as the two women pulled apart.

"Fairy dust – _duh_ ," the shape-shifter said smugly, dangling the empty vial in her hand. "It was either that or smash into it in my fox form. I figured you wouldn't enjoy that idea as much."

Adrien and Nino clapped each other on the backs before the prince asked, "Where the hell were you?"

"Getting chased around for no reason," the huntsman replied with a sharp glimpse at Alya. "What happened to _you_ guys?"

"Long story, but it'll have to wait," Ladybug said as her expression hardened. "We need to get the queen's heart back from Hawkmoth before it's too late!"

"The queen's _what_?" Alya uttered.

"Like she said, long story," Adrien replied as he prepared to shove everyone out of the study. "Now let's get moving!"

" _Wait_." His mother called softly.

Four heads turned to the queen, who smiled sadly at them and shook her head.

"I can't go with you," Vivienne said. "You should tie me up and leave me here."

Adrien shot her an incredulous look. "Mother..." he began.

Her queenly gaze silenced him. "I can't be trusted so long as Hawkmoth has my heart," she persisted. "And I can't bear the thought of him using me against you again, Adrien."

" _Again_?" Nino repeated with a furrowed look.

"Long story," Ladybug sang with annoyance before turning to the queen. "Your Majesty, we can't just leave you down here alone."

"Yes you can, Marinette," Vivienne stated sharply, as though the princess were her own daughter. "You have no choice. I'll either slow you down or become a threat to you. You can't take that risk." She looked back at her son with firm but pleading eyes. "And if anyone is capable of stopping that monster for good, it's _you_ , Adrien. I believe in you."

Adrien stared at his mother forlornly, unsure what to say. He hadn't seen his mother in over a year, and now she was asking him to leave her again.

But at the same time, she was right. And this was no time for a discussion.

He glanced over at his best friends. "Nino, help me with my cloak, would you?"

A moment later, Queen Vivienne was sitting up against the wall – her arms tied at her sides by Adrien's black cloak and her legs bound together by Alya's new purple one. Ladybug had also used her own hair ties to bind the queen's hands together as an added measure. Like Vivienne said, they couldn't take any chances – especially when it came to Hawkmoth.

While Adrien and Nino went about tying the queen up, Ladybug told Alya about the Sorcerer King's plans to resurrect Seraphina, asking the shape-shifter if she knew of anything that could help them figure out how to stop him.

Once the bonds were in place, Adrien kneeled beside his mother and brushed her long hair away from her face. "I'll get your heart back," he vowed with a shaking voice. "I promise."

She smiled at him warmly, and her eyes – _his_ eyes – turned glossy again. "Good luck," she said before her face became blank again. "Now go – hurry!"

Adrien nodded and kissed her forehead before lifting himself up and turning to his three most trusted companions.

"From what Mari told me," Alya said, "Hawkmoth will want to get to high ground in order to open a doorway to the realm of the dead. But there must also be direct access to open sky as well."

High ground _and_ open sky? Adrien could only think of one place in Castle Agreste that fit that description perfectly. "The abandoned watchtower, just between the Twin Mountains," he deduced. "There's a bridge that get us there, but we have to be on the fourth level."

"But this castle is _huge_ ," Ladybug complained. "We'll never make it in time!"

Nino grinned slyly. "Not on foot, we won't," he said before turning to his girlfriend.

Adrien blinked for a moment. And when Ladybug shot him an inquisitive look, the prince shrugged.

* * *

Marinette knew her life had gone crazy the moment she met Cat Noir.

She just never imagined herself riding on the back of a giant white fox... inside a castle! Nor did she imagine she would actually enjoy it!

The princess let out a throaty whoop as Alya ran through the dark corridors faster than any horse Marinette had ever ridden. The shape-shifter had no fear of losing her way or crashing into anything – she could see perfectly well in the dark.

Right behind her, Adrien tightened his arms around her waist. "Still wish you had stayed in Bourgeois, my lady?" he called over the wind in her ears.

"In your dreams, Kittycat!" Marinette shouted over her shoulder.

She could hear Nino cry out from behind Adrien, "Save it for the honeymoon, will you?!"

Marinette laughed and inched closer to Alya's tuffed ears. "Come on, Alya – let's see how fast you can _really_ run!"

The fox growled with affirmation and gave herself an extra boost of speed.

Marinette grinned. _If only Bridgette could see me now!_

But as much as she wished she could ride like the wind for the rest of her life, the princess reminded herself there was a war going on. She would celebrate _after_ they saved Queen Vivienne's heart and stopped the Akuma army. Oh, right – _and_ drove Hawkmoth into the dirt.

 _And this time_ , Marinette thought with fortitude, _either_ we _go down... or_ he _goes down._

No more tricks, no more games, no more escapes.

One way or another, this would be their last fight.

* * *

 **MB: Phew! That was the longest chapter I have ever written (but on the bright side, I wrote it all in two days).**

 **All right! Only two chapters left, and the boss battle is about to begin!**

 **Part 5 was a very long and tedious process to outline, and I had to do a little OUAT research to get some inspiration for the final battle (the biggest one was the Season 2 episode, "Queen of Hearts" - which I DO NOT own).**

 **So hang onto your Miraculouses! The show is far from over!**


	29. 5:5: Cross My Heart and Hope to Die

**MB: Well... After several weeks of thinking, planning and drafting (and doing other stuff because, you know, I have a life), I've finally decided on a final boss fight. This was one of those "Let's get this over with" chapters, but once again, I'm satisfied and I'm sticking with it.**

 **So yeah! Here is the second-last chapter of the entire story! Only one more to go after this (and I promise you, I know how I'm going to write it and I'm NOT going to take a month to do it).**

 **Enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **PART 5:**

 _ **Chapter 5:**_

 _ **Cross My Heart and Hope to Die**_

The winter wind howled around the evil king, as if warning him to stay away from the watchtower. But all it did was send his purple cloak flapping angrily about him.

 _Even Fate cannot deprive me of this_ , Hawkmoth thought with a sneer as he and four of his Akuma spellcasters emerged at the top of the broken spire.

It was nothing more than a massive, flat circle of stone surrounded by large, crumbled archways that had once been the thresholds of open windows. There was no roof – it had caved in long ago, leaving its remains on the floor, all covered in a thick layer of snow. The supports of the tower sat nudged between the Twin Mountains, still holding after so many decades. Dead branches and shrivelled vines of ivy snaked around the broken walls.

The long bridge connecting the tower to Castle Agreste was almost as old as the structure itself, but just as durable. Once on the other side, a stone staircase led straight up to the top. There was no other way out.

Not that it mattered. Hawkmoth could just vanish with a snap of his fingers if need be.

The Sorcerer King observed the decrepit state of the tower chamber... and let out a casual hum. Then he lifted his arms towards the damage.

Like dust in a sandstorm, the snow and rocks were swept up into the air and sent swirling out the tower and into the mountainous expanse. Soon, there was nothing on the floor but flat, somewhat-cracked stone.

Hawkmoth smiled. "Much better." _Now for the interesting part_.

Opening a portal to the netherworld was not as easy as conjuring fireballs. No one could enter the land of the dead... except, of course, the dead. According to legend, every time a person died, the veil that separated the spirit world from the real world opened a bit to allow that person's soul entry.

But if _more_ people were to die – say, a few _hundred_ soldiers who were still clashing in the great courtyard below – the veil would ultimately thin out and become more fragile in order to accept that many souls. So as long as the battle raged, creating a new gap in the veil would be easy.

All Hawkmoth needed was a little dark magic... and some blood.

The king turned to his acolytes. " _Begin_ ," he commanded with a tone as cold as the wind blowing through the tower.

The four Akumas stepped forward wordlessly and, with their master, formed a small circle in the centre of the floor. Then the spellcasters each drew a small knife from their belts and held them out in front of them.

Hawkmoth drew his sword from his jeweled cane before pulling off one of his leather gloves. Then he pressed the cold blade against his palm.

The king flinched as the sharp edge carved into his skin, and warm red oozed from the open wound. His Akumas did the same, their faces twitching with pain.

"A small price to pay," Hawkmoth murmured softly as he sheathed his sword, "to fulfill my greatest wish."

The Akumas began chanting, their low voices barely audible over the howling wind, and together they and their master held out their bleeding hands into the centre of their conjoined circle.

With his other hand, Hawkmoth grasped his Dark Amethyst tightly. It felt exceedingly warm.

Beads of blood dripped from five hands onto the pale stone floor.

The king spoke in a terrifying deep voice that carried out into the unknown: "By the blood of the living and the power of pure darkness, I command the gate of the void to open!"

Hawkmoth's brooch glowed from underneath his fingers.

Like ink upon stone, the red droplets on the ground turned black, spreading around until they completely filled the spellcasters' inner circle.

High above the tower, grey clouds closed in to form a swirling, dark eye.

Suddenly, a bolt of bright, purple lightning struck the circle of blood.

The force sent Hawkmoth and his acolytes falling back with a clamour.

When the king sat up and looked, a wicked grin appeared on his lips.

* * *

There was a great exploding _SNAP_ in the air.

Bridgette cringed from the sudden sound before snapping up to see where it had come from.

At the same time, a faint purplish glow illuminated the courtyard.

A swirling mass of thunderous clouds gathered in the breach between the Twin Mountains, just inches behind the castle itself. The clouds were purple, and streaks of lightning cracked across the sky.

Fear swept through Bridgette's gut like a paintbrush on a canvas.

Kim bashed a nearby Akuma Guard with his elbow before standing back-to-back with the princess. "What in the name of whatever gods _is_ that?!" he panted.

Bridgette parried with another soldier before kicking him away. Then she replied, "I don't know... but it has Hawkmoth written all over it."

She couldn't explain it, but it told her Marinette was in the middle of this magical mess as well.

 _She's up there... and I'm trapped down here._

 _Gods above_ , Bridgette prayed with gritted teeth as she lifted her sword again, _let her be all right_.

* * *

Hawkmoth stood at the edge of the portal and stared down.

It was more beautiful than he imagined: a whirlpool of white light bringing everything inside it deeper towards the centre. So the netherworld truly was a peaceful place after all.

But death was death... and now it was time for Seraphina to breathe life once more.

Hawkmoth extended his hand to one of his acolytes. "Now for the offering," he said.

The Akuma reached within his cloak and pulled out a small, brown pouch attached to a long string. Then he handed it to his master with a bow.

It fit perfectly in Hawkmoth's palm. He could feel the pulsing beats of Queen Vivienne's heart from within the pouch. His own heart elated with something he hadn't felt in almost twenty years: victory. And something else, perhaps. It felt like... hope.

"Seraphina," Hawkmoth whispered affectionately as he turned back to the portal, his silver face illuminating from the light inside. "At long last, I have fulfilled my promise to you. Our enemies are defeated. The three kingdoms crumble within my grasp. And now, with this heart, you shall return to my side... and share all this magnificent glory with me." Hawkmoth brandished a dark, triumphant smile. "Together, we will crush anyone who dares to come between us again, and everything we've ever wanted will be ours!"

The king reached to undo the pouch and retrieve the heart within...

 _WHIZZ!_

"Gah!" Hawkmoth shouted as something sliced across his hand. As he jerked back, the pouch flew from his grasp and bounced along the ground until it stopped several feet away.

The king hissed at the small red mark on his hand. But when he snapped around to see who had shot him...

He saw three people and a large, white-furred beast standing at the top of the stairwell. One of them had her cheery-wood bow raised at him.

Hawkmoth was swept up by a cascade of disbelief. " _What...?_ "

The four Akuma acolytes scattered defensively around their master, brandishing magical daggers.

"Normally, I'm not above a man stealing a woman's heart," Princess Marinette of Dupain-Cheng declared wholeheartedly. Then she frowned and added with a bite, "It's when he tosses it away that I have issues."

Prince Adrien – Cat Noir, Gabriel's spawn, the boy who had eluded the Sorcerer King for over a year – affixed his stepfather with a look between a smirk and a glare.

Hawkmoth's befuddlement melted into rage as he stared at the newly-revived princess. "How are you still here?!" he demanded. "You should be _dead_!"

His stepson answered for him coldly, "Apparently, you don't think things through when trying to poison someone. Trust me – _I_ know."

The dark-skinned huntsman beside him twirled his twin hatchets in his hands, as though he was itching to throw one of them into the king's skull.

The white fox huffed a throaty laugh before bearing her sharp teeth hungrily at Hawkmoth.

 _I... I TURNED her! How did she break free of my akuma?!_

Hawkmoth panted through gnarled teeth. He couldn't believe this! He had given it everything he had – every cruel curse and trick in the book – and his enemies _still_ survived?!

 _No. I have come too far to let them stop me now!_

"Fine," Hawkmoth snarled with nerve-racking calm. "It seems you all want _me_ to be the one to end you." He drew his sword once more. "Well, then... it would be my honour!"

The huntsman noticed the pouch lying away from the king, and he spoke quickly to his feline friend, "Adrien, the heart – get it!"

At the same time, Hawkmoth barked to his acolytes, "The boy is mine! Deal with the others!"

* * *

Adrien spun his staff in both hands and raced around the swirling portal towards his stepfather.

Hawkmoth swiped upward with his sword, but Adrien smacked it and spun this way and that, trying to drive a hard blow. But the king stopped with him at every turn, and Adrien was surprised to see how quick his stepfather was with a blade. He moved like a shadow, striking faster than the prince anticipated.

But Adrien wasn't called Cat Noir for nothing. He too moved lightly on his feet, ducking or sidestepping every time Hawkmoth's rapier tried to slice him.

Behind him, the prince heard painful grunts, the singeing of flame against stone, the whizzing of arrows... and Alya's growling. Adrien wanted so much to turn around and help his friends, or at least make sure they were still in one piece. But he didn't dare take his eyes off his opponent.

The two men parried, and as Hawkmoth met his stepson in the middle, he sneered. "You fight well."

Adrien tried to take this opportunity to wrap his leg around the king's knee and yank him down, but Hawkmoth caught it in mid-air.

"But not well enough," Hawkmoth said.

He drove both their weapons to the side and then tripped Adrien up, sending him spinning onto the hard floor.

The prince fell on his stomach with a groan. His staff slipped out of his hand. But before Adrien could snatch it back up, he felt a hand grab his foot and pull. Adrien skidded along the stony floor, desperately trying to crawl free of Hawkmoth's grip.

When that didn't work, Adrien stopped resisting and rolled onto his side. Then he swung his free leg up high and kicked Hawkmoth right in the jaw. The king let go of him and stumbled back, spitting out blood.

Adrien scrambled to his feet and scooped up his staff before turning to where the small brown pouch lay on the ground just a few feet away from him. His mother's heart!

The prince sprinted and dove for the pouch... only for it to go zooming out of his reach.

Adrien snapped around and glowered at Hawkmoth, who sneered at the boy with red-stained teeth and waved the tiny pouch at him tauntingly.

"Looking for this?" the evil king jeered.

There was a hard pounding in Adrien's ears as he growled at his stepfather and rose back up.

That's when he saw Ladybug rising up to her feet not far behind Hawkmoth. Her unkempt hair blew about her dirt-streaked face in tangles, and there was a cut on her swollen lip. But her bluebell eyes were clean of any fear or pain.

Ladybug raised her bow at the king's back, caught Adrien's eye... and nodded.

With a yell, Adrien gripped his staff in both hands and charged at Hawkmoth.

At the same time, Ladybug fired her arrow.

But at the last second, Hawkmoth vanished in a puff of purple smoke, the ghost of an evil grin on his face.

So when Adrien came swiping at him, his staff cut through the shimmering mist like a knife... and slammed into something small and bag-like.

Adrien's core froze as the brown pouch Hawkmoth had been holding – the one carrying his mother's living heart – flew through the air... towards the open mouth of the portal.

" _No_!" Adrien cried.

Ladybug's face went pale with horror.

But they could do nothing as the little bag slipped past the threshold...

 _Mother!_

...until something _literally_ hooked onto the string and stopped it from falling!

Adrien gasped, open-mouthed, as he beheld Nino's hatchet hovering right above the portal. It was sparkling with red light.

The little axe soared back into the hand of its master like a boomerang, dragging the small pouch with it.

The huntsman let out a relieved laugh as he gently lifted the pouch string off the handle. "You know..." he exhaled giddily, "I really bristle at the thought of a woman losing her heart." He flipped his glittering hatchet in one hand.

Adrien almost laughed himself. _Tikki's fairy dust! Nino must have put it on his hatchet during the fight!_

Speaking of which, the prince was surprised – but no less pleased – to see the four Akuma spellcasters on the ground. Dead or unconscious, Adrien couldn't tell, but he swore he caught a bit of red on Alya's muzzle before she changed back in a burst of orange light.

Nino kindly tossed the pouch over to Adrien, and the prince clutched it to his chest.

But then Ladybug said, "Uh, guys? Where's Hawkmoth?"

All four of them stood back to back, searching feverishly for the silver-faced king. But there was no sign of him, and the portal to the netherworld was still open. It made Adrien all the more anxious.

Alya pointed to the bridge beyond the tower entrance. "We've got company!"

Adrien turned and narrowed his eyes at the small cluster of black figures racing along the bridge towards the companions. The snow and wind made them look like wraiths flying over the stones.

Adrien knew he couldn't fight them off while trying to keep his mother's heart safe. Too many things could happen, and none of them good. And there was still Hawkmoth to deal with.

So Adrien walked over to Alya and extended the pouch to her. "Take it and get out of here," he said. "We'll hold off the guards."

The shape-shifter glanced between him and the bag with fiery resilience. "No, you need help!" she insisted.

"And my mother needs her heart," Adrien argued, looking quickly over his shoulder for his stepfather. "Go! Before Hawkmoth has a chance to steal it back!"

Alya opened her mouth, probably to fight back as usual.

But then Nino spoke to her gently, "Go, Alya. Someone has to return the queen's heart, and you're faster than all of us. There's no other option here."

The look the redhead gave the huntsman seemed to carry juxtaposing emotions: reluctance and understanding; worry and love.

Adrien knew what that felt like, and for a moment he was back in the dungeons of Castle Bourgeois.

"Here they come!" Ladybug shouted before unleashing an arrow at the incoming Akumas. "Alya, hurry!"

Adrien nodded one last time at Alya, and then he watched as she placed the pouch string in her teeth.

In a flurry of light and fur, she leapt through the entrance and nearly trampled the Akuma Guards before taking off at full speed down the bridge.

 _Be safe_ , the prince thought as he raised his staff in front of him.

* * *

Marinette fired three more arrows before the soldiers came barrelling into the companions. One of them almost knocked the princess into the portal on the floor, but she danced out of the way and finished him off with one quick jab of her dagger.

Looking up, Marinette saw Adrien and Nino engaging the rest of the small onslaught back-to-back – Adrien landing hard blows with his staff and Nino cutting hither and yon with his hatchets.

Marinette was about to sheath her dagger and acquire another arrow... when she heard a cooing whistle behind her.

The princess turned, and her eyes became arrows themselves.

Hawkmoth stared at her a few feet away, sword in hand. With his windblown dark cloak and skull-like grin, he reminded Marinette of a phantom from a fairytale coming to snatch up naughty little children.

He might have scared the princess once before, but not anymore. "It's over, Hawkmoth," she said firmly. "You've lost."

"Only a heart," the king said with a shrug. " _That_ can easily be rectified." He took a few steps to his left. "And since you're so keen on being a constant thorn in my side," he added coldly, "I'll just take _your_ lovely little heart instead."

Marinette drew her second dagger and stepped to her left as well. "Go ahead and try," the blunette challenged.

They circled one another in silence, never taking their eyes off their opponent.

Hawkmoth snapped his hand up, making Marinette raise her daggers in a stiffened crouch. The king chuckled and stepped again. Marinette scowled at him.

Then the king's sword came slashing through the air towards her middle.

Marinette fell to her knees and bent backwards. She saw her own reflection in the blade as it passed a hair's width over her nose.

The princess twirled back up and slashed at the king again... but her daggers only sliced into purple smoke.

"Coward!" Marinette's shout echoed through the angry wind.

Adrien turned at her voice, and then he cried, "Ladybug, look out!"

The princess snapped around, daggers high, right before a sword came bearing down on her from within a plume of purple. Marinette blocked the blow, but then Hawkmoth burst out and kicked her right in the abdomen.

Her insides screamed in pain and Marinette stumbled backwards. Groaning and growling at the same time, the blunette raised her daggers again at the evil wizard.

Behind her, she heard several death-ridden cries, followed by the slumping of bodies. Go _d, don't let any of them be Adrien or Nino_ , she prayed.

Hawkmoth made no move to strike this time, and the princess knew why. He was waiting for her to make the next move so he could take her out with one of his dirty magic tricks. Marinette huffed. _Two can play at that game_.

She feinted to her right, and the moment Hawkmoth leaned in that direction with his sword, Marinette charged left on the balls of her feet.

The king tried to swing his sword at her, but she blocked it with one dagger... while slashing up with the second.

Hawkmoth disappeared again just as her blade made contact.

But when he rematerialized a few feet away from her, Marinette's mouth curled upwards and she tapped the corner of her right eyebrow with her finger.

Hawkmoth frowned and patted his own eyebrow, only to reel back when he saw that his face had a brand new cut – and a big one, too – right where Adrien had slashed him in the Eye of the Gods.

 _Huh... Love really_ does _hurt_ , Marinette thought in a Cat Noir-manner.

But then the king's gritted snarl made the princess shiver. Now she knew that he was going to enjoy ripping out her heart in every painful way he knew possible.

Suddenly, two streaks rushed past Marinette on both sides of her: one purple, and one brown.

Adrien and Nino slashed at Hawkmoth in unison. But once again, the king vanished before their weapons could touch him.

The prince spun around to his two friends. "Run for the bridge!" he cried. "Hurry!"

Marinette turned, but then a purple cloud exploded in front of her. She couldn't even scream before she was sent flying backwards.

She heard Adrien and Nino's startled cries before she collided with the ground.

The back of her head slammed against stone, and stars filled her vision. Wincing from the distorted pain in her skull, Marinette tried to sit up.

It was only when she saw Hawkmoth's cloaked form stalking towards her that the princess regained her senses and tried to crawl backwards. She no longer had her daggers, but she could still shoot the king with her bow if she gained enough distance.

Glancing beside her, Marinette saw Adrien struggling to get back up and rush over to her.

Hawkmoth didn't look at the prince as he swiped his hand at him, as though batting away a fly.

Adrien flew back again and slumped hard against the broken wall behind him, where he remained motionless.

Marinette tried to call out to him, but then something wrapped around her throat and hoisted her up, her feet dangling off the ground. Gasping, Marinette tried to pry whatever was grabbing off her neck, but to no avail.

Suddenly, Hawkmoth stiffened and tried to hold back an agonizing growl.

Marinette was startled to see the wooden handle of a hatchet sticking between the king's shoulder blades.

"Let her go!" she heard Nino shout, followed by the sound of charging footsteps.

In the corner of her eye, Marinette watched with horror as several dead vines came back to life and unfurled from the wall.

They wrapped themselves around the huntsman and yanked him up into the air before he could bury his last hatchet in Hawkmoth's head. Nino's body slammed against the broken threshold, and then he went utterly limp. His hatchets clattered to the ground beneath him.

"No!" Marinette croaked, kicking out with all her might.

Hawkmoth only laughed at her struggling, albeit with a bit of a hiss as he reached back and yanked the hatchet out of his back. There was a soft white glow on the wound, and then the evil wizard straightened up with a smile.

"Pitiful princess," he rebuked. "Did you really think three mere _mortals_ could defeat me? Did you think the magic of true love would protect you?"

Marinette glared down at him, her cheeks heating and her eyes tearing up from the strain in her throat. She could still draw breath, but it hurt every time.

Hawkmoth magically tugged her threw the air towards the portal. "Your noble little army may win this battle today, but once I am done here, I will return with a _larger_ host of Akumas, each one ripe with power and strength!" He stopped at the edge of portal before turning back to the writhing princess with a look of darkened pity. "Don't you see, child? There is no good and evil – only victory and death. But fret not. _Your_ death will mark the beginning of a glorious new era: an age of magic."

 _He sounds just like Chloe_ , Marinette thought.

"And instead of resorting to sordid methods such as poison," the evil king said coolly, his voice almost drowned out by the rush of the swirling vortex beside him. "I can now use you to bring my Seraphina back to me. There is no higher honour than to die in place of another."

The tension around Marinette's throat ceased, and she slumped down at the king's feet.

She rose up quickly, panting – not necessarily from lack of breath, but from lack of courage. "Why do you want to bring back Seraphina?" Marinette demanded uneasily.

The king smiled at her like she were a small child, and then he brushed her cheek with his hand, making her cringe and turn her head away.

"Because she needs me," he replied softly. "And though I have said she was my greatest weakness, I still love her... and I will never let her go." He grasped Marinette's chin roughly and forced her to look at him. "You of all people should understand what that's like – to hold someone so close to your heart that it leaves a permanent scar."

Out of pure instinct, Marinette tried to punch him square in the jaw, but her clenched fist stopped inches from the king's face. Suddenly, her entire body suddenly became as stiff as a wooden board, and her hand lowered down to her side on its own volition.

Marinette felt her heart pounding fitfully inside her chest, and she couldn't help but tremble under the king's sadistic gaze.

 _Adrien..._

She would die here, and her beloved thief wouldn't be able to bring her back like she did him.

And once Hawkmoth was done with her, he would go for Adrien next...

"No," Marinette growled between her teeth. "Love is not a scar, or a weakness, or a disease..." She lifted her chin higher despite the king's firm grip. "It's strength."

Hawkmoth shook his head at her with a chuckle. "Such spunk," he mused as he removed his hand. "I wonder if my beloved will bear such qualities once _your_ heart is beating in _her_ chest."

Marinette watched his fingers stretch out into claws, and this time she couldn't hide the fear in her eyes.

Hawkmoth took a step back and said softly, "Goodbye, Ladybug."

Then his hand shot towards her chest...

"NO!"

...just as another body leapt right between them.

* * *

Adrien gasped as the king's hand drove right into him.

He knew this would happen if he tried to stop Hawkmoth. It was better than watching Ladybug have her heart crushed.

Adrien knew it would hurt... but the force still rocked him from his chest to his toes.

He could feel Hawkmoth's fingers curling around his small, beating organ like talons. They squeezed tighter as soon as the king realized whose heart he now held in his hand.

All of this happened in the width of a second.

Then Ladybug screamed with horror, " _Adrien_!"

The prince thought for certain his heart would shatter right then and there.

Hawkmoth, on the other hand, looked like he would burst with excitement. His maniacal laugh pierced the frigid air like a knife, and his grin stretched all the way to his temples. "You foolish, arrogant boy!" he exclaimed with wicked delight before cackling once again.

Adrien tried to glare up at him, but the pain was so intense – like a smoldering-hot fire burning inside his chest – it made his forehead crease with shock. He gulped for air and gritted his teeth through it all, wondering how he was still able to stand.

All the while, he heard Ladybug's tearful gasps behind him. "No...!" she pleaded desperately, obviously trying to fight off Hawkmoth's immobilization spell. "Adrien, no...!"

The prince managed a mirthless chuckle and glanced over his shoulder with a nervous smile. "I'm sorry... my lady..." he winced.

Hawkmoth laughed again, making Adrien glower back at him. Then he leaned closer to the prince and whispered ecstatically, "You truly are like your father... to the bitter end."

The king pulled back on Adrien's heart.

The prince flinched as something hard and firm banged against his rib cage before returning to its normal spot.

He blinked. _What the –?_

Hawkmoth's triumphant grin fell instantly, and his brow scrunched with confusion. He tried pulling on the heart again. It still wouldn't budge.

Ladybug's cries stopped.

"What?!" the king snapped as he tugged harder and harder.

Adrien winced every time, but little by little the pain began to lessen. He could feel Hawkmoth's fingers trying to crush his heart, but there was no more cracking; no more burning feeling in his chest.

Then Adrien saw something he had never seen in Hawkmoth's cold, blue eyes before: fear.

"That's impossible!" the king exhaled, his eyes almost entirely white.

Adrien couldn't explain it – he didn't even know what _it_ was – but at that moment he felt his chest warm again. But it was a soothing, affectionate kind of warmth, like the sun upon his skin.

Adrien didn't know exactly what was causing it... but he had a hunch.

It was what his father died for.

It was what had awoken Adrien from his sleeping curse.

It was standing right behind the prince right now, out of harm's way.

Adrien smiled resolutely at his stepfather and declared, "No... It's true love."

A resounding pulse emitted from his chest, followed by a blinding wave of rainbow light that struck the king.

Adrien saw the amethyst brooch crack. He heard the clap of thunder. He felt the burst of magic. He heard Hawkmoth's cry of anguish.

Then the king's hand flew out of the prince's chest, and the king himself flew backwards like a wounded crow.

* * *

The rainbow wave burst from the watchtower and all the way out across the castle.

Bridgette didn't see it until she felt.

It was like being brushed with cool water, like the tide upon the sand. And when it pulled away, the princess breathed fresh air again.

To her surprise, the three Akuma Guards standing before her stiffened from the wave of light, their eyes beneath their helmets going wide before relaxing. Everywhere else, every one of Hawkmoth's soldiers seized their fighting and went utterly catatonic, their arms going limp and their heads hanging down.

But Bridgette, her parents, Kim, Max, Theo... and all those who fought with the united colours remained unscathed. Breathless and bewildered, to be sure, but otherwise all right.

Tikki, Plagg and the other fairies paused in mid-air, their bulbous eyes wide. They then started muttering excitedly amongst themselves, as if they knew what had just happened.

But before Bridgette could open her mouth to ask, all of the Akumas in the courtyard fell to their knees. _Kerplunk, kerplunk, kerplunk_... The sound of metal landing in snow was almost like a balm to Bridgette's heart.

Then... butterflies?

The princess gasped as a small, black butterfly emerged from the chest of each Akuma and fluttered up into the air. Like ash in the wind, their dark streaks withered away, revealing wings of pale blue light.

It was so beautiful and so strange that everyone was staring with gaping mouths.

Max looked like he was trying to figure out what they were... and it was making his brain hurt.

Kim's dropped jaw began to curl up. "Well... _that's_ new," he offered.

Bridgette almost laughed.

And as the butterflies scattered away in several directions, glittering like little blue stars, the Akuma soldiers looked up and blinked drowsily, as though they had just woken up from a long sleep.

It took an entire minute, but Bridgette finally figured it out.

The butterflies were what had turned all these soldiers – these people – into Hawkmoth's mindless servants. But now, whatever that rainbow wave was had set them free, reverting them to who they had once been: men and women of low or noble rank. As the twisted masks and helmets fell off, Bridgette could see the faces of farmers, millers, hunters, mercenaries, barons and thieves. One by one, they all looked around with perplexed expressions, wondering what had happened.

 _They must not remember anything_ , Bridgette figured. _That's... I suppose that's a good thing._

Just then, someone in the hushed crowd shouted, "Father!"

Practically everyone in the courtyard turned to see a young, red-haired woman in Bourgeois-blue throwing her sword down and rushing over to a large slumped man. He had the same hair as she did. And the moment he looked up and uttered her name, the woman let out a shuddering gasp and threw her arms around his neck.

Then there were more gasps and cries; people calling out names to someone they recognised within the horde of disarrayed soldiers.

And as crying turned into cheering, Bridgette couldn't help but shed a few tears of her own.

 _They did it. By god, they actually did it!_

But then the princess's rush of joy eased off, and she glanced back up at the sky.

 _So where are they?_

* * *

Adrien had his hand pressed over the spot where his heart was.

It was still there, thank god. But the prince still found it hard to believe.

Even when Ladybug was beside him, her own hand enclosed over his, Adrien kept trying to tell himself that he was alive. And breathing. And not cursed or heartless or anything.

"What..." he finally breathed with a bit of a squeak. "What was that?"

Ladybug let out something between a sigh and a laugh as she cupped her prince's face in her hands. Based on that look in her eyes, Adrien figured she was just as shocked and confused as he was.

"That..." the princess began, but then struggled to find the right words. "... is a _great_ subject for discussion. When this is over."

They both heard a _slump_ from the far side of the tower chamber, and they turned to see Nino's limp body now on the floor. The vines that had ensnared him went back to being lifeless weeds on the wall.

Ladybug immediately sprang forward.

Adrien almost followed... until he saw something that made him pause.

A purple cloak – _Hawkmoth's_ cloak – was picked up by a shaft of wind and went soaring through the air, vanishing beyond the edge of the broken tower.

All that remained on the ground were three things: Hawkmoth's cane-sword, the vial of Tikki's fairy dust that Adrien originally possessed, and the Dark Amethyst brooch.

But the Sorcerer King was nowhere to be seen.

Adrien gulped. _Did the magic destroy him? Or did he already teleport away?_ Everything had happened so fast it was impossible for the prince to recall anything.

He looked up to see Ladybug lifting Nino to his feet. "Is he all right?" he called.

She smiled up at him. "Nothing broken... except maybe his pride."

The huntsman glanced at her with narrowed brown eyes. "Keep talking, Your Highness. I've still got a bit left for one good throw."

Adrien snickered and walked over to the items on the floor. The sword he ignored, but the vial he quickly stashed away inside his vest.

As for the brooch, Adrien plucked the tiny thing up and held it out in his open palm. The jewel was now an opaque, lavender-grey with two nasty cracks splitting it into three, unequal pieces. No magic pulsed from the stone, but Adrien could feel a strange sense of release flowing through him.

It made him wonder...

It wasn't long before Ladybug and Nino came over to him. "Hawkmoth?" his princess asked nervously. "Is he... gone?"

Adrien shook his head. "Gone... or escaped. I don't know. But I have a feeling it's not over yet." He turned to his best friend. "Nino, do you feel what I feel?"

The huntsman blinked several times, and then his weary face lit up with understanding. "You mean... like having a tremendous weight lifted off your shoulders?"

"Exactly!"

"Then yeah!"

Ladybug glanced between the two boys, her eyebrow raised. "Hello? Not all of us can feel magic, you know," she sang irritably. "Want to fill me in?"

"The brooch's powers are broken," Adrien explained, "which means every single spell Hawkmoth has ever cast has been undone. And _that_ means..." He gave his lady a hopeful grin, waiting for her to finish the sentence.

And she did. "The Akumas!" she exclaimed with a smile. "The fight down below! Do you think they've all been freed?"

"Only one way to find out," Adrien said as he gripped the brooch tightly. "But first... Don't you think we should do something about _that_?"

He pointed to the centre of the tower chamber, where the portal to the netherworld remained, hungrily waiting for something to fall into its mouth.

"Seriously?" Nino groaned. "Even after that freaky, magical, glowy thing, it's _still_ here?"

"Hawkmoth summoned it with magic," Ladybug deduced. "Maybe it needs magic to seal it back up."

Adrien immediately had the answer. "A little lucky dust should do the trick," he said with a feline grin as he pulled out the vial and twirled it nimbly along his fingers.

"Show off," Nino mumbled with a matching smile.

Ladybug giggled. "Care to do the honours, Kitty?"

"As my lady wishes," Adrien said, sweeping into bow... and then regretting it when he felt his back stiffen. "Ow!"

Trying not to grumble, the prince uncorked the vial and walked over to the portal. His companions lingered close by.

The prince dared to look over the edge and down towards the tiny light below. It reminded Adrien of the light from the tunnel of his nightmares, promising peace and relief from a life of torment.

Wherever that place led to, wherever his father, Nathalie and Seraphina were now... Adrien prayed it was a place he wouldn't have to visit until he was using a cane himself.

Adrien straightened up and held the open vial out in front of him. The red dust inside glimmered from the light below.

Adrien smiled and began to tip his hand...

" _YOU_!"

Gasping, the prince spun around towards the source of that ruthless, blood-curling voice.

Ladybug and Nino did the same, the latter pulling the former behind him.

What they all saw made their faces turn pale.

The man hunched over a few feet away... was not Hawkmoth.

Actually, it _was_. But the silver mask that had once encompassed his dome-like head was gone. All that remained now was a face half-covered in twisted red scars and purple veins. One eye had no eyelid, so when the king glared at the three companions, it was like he was peering at them all with utmost hatred in that one, wide-open orb of red and blue.

" _Eww_!" Ladybug shuddered.

Nino looked a little green. "I guess he really _was_ a monster within, huh?" he said mirthlessly.

Only Adrien wasn't fazed by his stepfather's true face. The only thing keeping him on edge now was figuring out how to deal with the evil king while trying to close the portal... and keep his fiancée and best friend safe.

"You!" Hawkmoth seethed again, stepping towards the group. His voice was more animal than human. "What... have you done?!"

Adrien immediately extended his arm out to protect his friends, his green eyes narrowed on the defeated wizard.

But Hawkmoth only drew closer, growling between his bared teeth, "You'll all pay _dearly_ for this!" His hand snapped up towards them.

Adrien, Ladybug and Nino all looked away.

Nothing happened.

Looking back, Adrien saw his stepfather flexing his gloved hand again and again, or otherwise snapping his fingers. Each time, no spark of flame, no bolt of lightning, and no wisp of darkness appeared.

Hawkmoth's misshapen eyes went wide with shock.

Nino huffed a dark laugh. "What do you know? Mothball's got no more spit-wads." Adrien saw him clenching his twin hatchets tightly.

" _Wait_ ," Adrien spoke firmly, the word cutting through the cold air.

The huntsman turned to him with scrutiny.

Ladybug was no less surprised.

Adrien gazed at the trembling man who had once been the Sorcerer King. "You have no more magic," he declared coolly, "no more army... and no more tricks. It's over, Reginald. Now, I will see justice done for my father." He loosed a deep breath.

Though Hawkmoth was evil; though he was the man who murdered his father and Nathalie, cursed his mother and then him, threatened his true love, and tried to kill him without end and probably wouldn't stop even now... Adrien couldn't bring himself to kill his archenemy in revenge.

His mother's words from the dreamscape rang through him like cymbals on the wind: _Never stop being you. It's only when we lose ourselves that we give way to evil._

Finally, Adrien said, "You will stand trial before the three kingdoms and face judgement for your crimes. The realm will see you for what you truly are... and they will never fear you again."

Hawkmoth stared at him, and Adrien was unsure whether stepfather's face was twisted up in fear or anger. Maybe both.

When the prince turned back to his friends, Nino's face had softened and he lowered his blades. Ladybug only nodded at her thief, her bluebell eyes bearing something like approval.

Then, to all their surprise, Hawkmoth laughed.

A hideous grin appeared on his burnt face, and he shook his head at Adrien. "You think my death will solve all your problems? _Nooo_..." he murmured so softly it made the prince want to shrink into his skin. "No... No... If it is my destiny to die at your hand..." He was walking much faster now. "... then I shall enjoy the final pleasure... of _taking you with me_!"

Then, like a crouched demon leaping forward, Hawkmoth charged.

Adrien acted on pure instinct. He shoved Ladybug away from him with one hand, and dropped the vial of fairy dust into the portal with the other.

But the prince couldn't stop the evil king from barrelling into him.

The next thing Adrien knew, he was falling down... and down... and down...

He saw the edge of the stone floor appear over his head. Adrien let out a horrific cry and reached up with all his might.

His hand missed the edge of the portal... but something grabbed onto that hand.

At the same time, something _else_ grabbed onto his leg.

Adrien gasped as he came to an abrupt stop, dangling inside the mouth of the portal. The wind whipped about him, and his hair blew into his eyes.

Looking below him, he saw Hawkmoth swinging around with his hands closed around his foot. The king was thrashing and wiggling Adrien madly, as though trying to shake him off whatever was keeping them both from falling.

Now Adrien looked up... and was amazed to see a more beautiful face staring down at him with red cheeks and gritted teeth.

"I've got you, Adrien!" Ladybug called as she struggled to hang onto his hand and wrist. "Hang on!"

Behind her, Nino was holding onto the princess's waist, preventing her from plunging in as well.

Adrien smiled with relief... but he knew they wouldn't be able to hold both his weight and Hawkmoth's for long. He needed a new plan.

But none of the ones he came up with involved saving Hawkmoth as well as himself.

Either both of them were going down, or the king was. Adrien didn't like either of those options. _There_ has _to be another way!_

Suddenly, a bright red light shot up from the abyss below. Red... like the fairy dust Adrien had dropped in.

Adrien felt the light engulf him completely.

He heard Hawkmoth's scream of fear and fury. Then it faded away into the distance.

He heard Ladybug cry out his name.

He felt her hand slip away from his.

Then... there was nothing but quiet. And red light.

* * *

Air – fresh, mountain air filled his nostrils.

Adrien opened his eyes.

He was staring up at a beautiful night sky, but it was so different from the one he was used to seeing. Streaks of pink, green, purple and blue danced through the sea of stars, shifting this way and that like waves on an ocean.

It didn't take long for Adrien to realize that he lying down on a meadow of snow.

Or, at least... it _looked_ like snow. But it wasn't cold. It felt more like crystallized sand to Adrien, but softer and cooler to the touch.

Adrien almost wanted to sink into the folds of snow and fall asleep here... until he sat with a jolt.

 _Am I dead? Is this where the portal leads to? Did I fall in?_

 _Then that means Hawkmoth... But what if Nino... and Ladybug..._

Someone extended a hand towards the prince; a calloused hand covered in age lines, but there was still strength in it.

Adrien followed it up to see who it belonged to... and for a moment, he actually thought he _was_ dead.

Because standing next to him was someone he knew had been for ten years.

Hair so blond it was white, eyes like a blue ocean right after a storm, a sharp figure accentuated by a slender yet muscular build, and a pointed chin that bore something Adrien had rarely ever seen: a warm smile.

"Come on, son," King Gabriel said softly. "On your feet."

Adrien's eyes lit up with surprise, confusion, grief and happiness. He took his father's hand and allowed himself to be heaved up.

Gabriel looked the prince up and down... and his thin eyebrows inched up a bit. "You're taller now."

Adrien couldn't help but smile. The last time he had seen his father, he barely came up to the king's shoulders. "It's..." He choked and tried again. "It's been a long time, Father."

The king and his son stared at one another. Gabriel was exactly like Adrien remembered him to be – tall, proud, daunting and serious – but there was something different about him. It was like rebuilding a tower of stones after knocking it down; only some of the pieces weren't quite in the same spot as before.

"I know," Gabriel said, "and in the all the years I've watched you grow from afar, you never ceased to make me proud."

Adrien's smile faltered. "Never?" he asked, looking sheepishly down at his feet. "I always thought... I... I..."

To his befuddlement, his father chuckled. "Come now, Adrien. You were never so delicate with your words, especially in front of me, and I don't expect you to be now. Say what you want to say."

Before he could stop himself, Adrien felt his throat tighten and his eyes sting as he fought to hold back tears. He could feel ten-years-worth of anger and hurt building up inside him, but he forced himself to say it all out in short, careful words.

"I always thought... that you abandoned me and Mother," he said with a low, croaked tone. "I _hated_ you for leaving us; for never really being there for us; for making me feel like I wasn't worth caring about."

Adrien took in a shuddering breath and then spoke more softly, "But now I know the truth... about why you did what you did. And I... I forgive you." Those words sounded so alien to him. "I forgive you... and I'm sorry, Father. For never really understanding..."

He hung his head down, and tears fell. But it was a good kind of crying, and it alleviated the pressure in his chest.

Then, Adrien felt his father's hands on his shoulders.

"You _couldn't_ understand then," Gabriel explained guiltily, "because you're right. I distanced myself from you because I feared keeping you too close would place you in further danger."

He shook his head and looked away. Adrien had never seen him so... distressed before.

"But I was a fool," his father said. "A man blinded by his own guilt over what happened to that poor woman, Seraphina, and how my own friend turned into a monster of my own making." He stared up into his son's green eyes. No doubt they reminded him of Vivienne's. "I kept convincing myself that everything I did was to protect you and your mother from Reginald. But what I should have done..." He brushed bits of snow from Adrien's hair. "... was spend every possible moment with you. Giving you your first sword, watching you ride on your horse... teaching you how to court a young lady." Gabriel's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Though I suspect you managed _that_ part just fine on your own."

Adrien snickered, grateful that they were both smiling again.

"I may have failed you as a father," Gabriel continued, removing his hands, "but you never once failed me as a son. That's more than enough for me."

Adrien didn't think it would be enough for _him_. "Are you kidding me?" he said with a raised eyebrow. "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be who I am today. You may not have been the best father in the world... but you could never stop being my father." He frowned again. "I learned that the hard way... with Reginald." Then his mouth perked up into a feline grin. "And, needless to say, I'm pretty sure I inherited your stubbornness. So you're getting my forgiveness whether you want it or not."

Now King Gabriel was laughing – head tilted up, teeth bared, chest shaking.

Then Adrien was laughing with him. He was laughing... with his father. It almost made him want to cry again.

Gabriel breathed evenly and said, "You may have my stubbornness, but you have your mother's spirit."

At that moment, the wind in the nightly landscape picked up. High above, Adrien could see the dancing lights pulling away, and the sky became brighter and whiter.

Then he heard an echo in the distance; the voice of an angel: _Adrien...! Adrien...!_

The prince gasped. "Ladybug!" he exclaimed.

Gabriel nodded with a smile. "She's waiting for you. That fairy dust was only enough to bring you here and back for a short time." His forehead scrunched with anxiety. "Now you must go, before the portal between the two worlds closes for good."

That's when Adrien finally remembered: he wasn't the only one who got hit by the shaft of red light.

"What about Hawk- I mean, Reginald?" he asked, glancing around feverishly. "Is he here too? Or is he-?"

His father held up a hand – a gesture the prince knew that enforced silence. "Don't worry, Adrien," Gabriel said, his voice firm but assuring. "He's not dead... but not quite alive either. I'm not exactly sure what the dust did to him, but I can assure you this: he won't bring further harm to ever again."

So... that's it. Adrien could go home to his mother and his friends, and they would all be safe. Hawkmoth could never hurt them again.

Adrien could finally go back to Castle Agreste, where he and Ladybug would start planning their future together; a future free from Akumas, cruel monarchs and evil curses. He and his lady would never be pulled apart again.

Adrien thought he would turn to water right then and there from the revelation sweeping over him.

They were free.

But then he locked eyes with his father once more, and the former thief's happiness melted into mourning. "I wish you could come with me," he said.

"As do I," the king said sadly, though he still retained his smile. "But I've done my part in life. You, on the other hand, have so much more to do; so much to see and learn and love."

Adrien could feel the world around him fading away into the light from the sky. Snow hovered up into the air ever-so-slowly before vanishing like dust. But not once did Gabriel stir or register the transformation.

It was time for father and son to return to where they belonged.

And for the first time in his life, Adrien hated to see his father go.

Gabriel clasped his son's hand tightly. "Just promise me one thing, Adrien, though I'm certain you already know this," he said with that familiar gleam in his blue eyes. "Never take love for granted. Grasp it too tightly, and you'll only invoke pain. Hold it too delicately, and it will slip from your fingers when you least expect it. But as long as you keep your head up and your heart set right, you'll never lose it."

Adrien nodded... and then embraced his father just as the swirls of snow surrounded them.

Again, it was such a bizarre sensation, wrapping his arms around his old man's middle and feeling Gabriel patting him on the back. But Adrien would've given up his kingdom and crown for a moment like this.

"I promise, Father," the prince vowed.

And when they allowed the wind and light to pull them away, their feet lifting off the ground, Adrien saw a single, glistening tear trickle down his father's cheek.

"Give my love to your mother," Gabriel called. "I'll give Nathalie yours. Stay strong, my son."

Adrien smiled and closed his eyes as light engulfed him once again.

 _Goodbye._

* * *

He felt cold stone on his back... and warm lips upon his own.

And when Adrien opened his eyes, he couldn't help but cast a sly grin up at his beautiful fiancée, whose tear-ridden blue eyes widened with joy.

No words were spoken. No more tears were shed.

Adrien just sat up and let the warmth of Ladybug and Nino's bone-cracking hugs fill him with solace.

 _It's over. It's finally over._

 _We're free._


	30. 5:6: To Have and To Hold

**PART 5:**

 _ **Chapter 6:**_

 _ **To Have and To Hold**_

Sunlight poured in from the rafters of the throne room, making the marble floors glow wherever they touched.

Despite the gentle warmth, Bridgette couldn't help but shiver as she glanced around the magnificent chamber. Everywhere the princess walked, her steady feet made soft tapping noises which resounded throughout the throne room. Aside from the great dais and the chair that lay upon it, the entire space was empty.

Empty... just like every other room and hallway Bridgette and her squad checked while they were scouring the castle for their missing friends.

Empty... just like this little pit growing inside Bridgette's heart.

Marinette... Alya... Adrien... Nino... Queen Vivienne.

And, of course, there was Hawkmoth to worry about as well.

 _We won the battle_ , Bridgette thought as she stared mournfully at the vacated throne, _but did we win the war?_

A hand squeezed her shoulder. Bridgette didn't need to ask whose it was.

"They're around here somewhere," Kim assured her with a smile, though his brown eyes also betrayed a hint of concern. "I bet Adrien's taking his sweet time trying to come up with some kind of dramatic entrance. He's like that sometimes."

Bridgette tried to return the smile, but she was so tired and so fretful she couldn't find the strength to do so.

Rose nodded eagerly, her filthy golden locks standing up in several awkward directions. Some of the ends were singed, but the healer didn't seem to mind. "And if anyone can keep him safe, Marinette can," she explained with that perky behaviour of hers. Apparently, not even a brutal fight could damper this girl's spirits.

Max, Ivan and Mylene emerged from one of the side entrances. All of them were out of breath as though they had been running.

"They're not in the east wing of the castle," Max said. There was a small, ugly bruise on his forehead from where an Akuma had hit him with a sword pommel, but the little trap-master had taken it like a champ. "We found nothing but an empty atrium and a weird-looking mirror. Any word from the king and queen?"

Bridgette swallowed. No sooner had the battle ended, her parents had rushed through the great metal doors to find their youngest daughter. _Now my whole family is missing_ , Bridgette thought. She gripped the hilt of her sheathed sword for comfort. What she wouldn't give for some magical wishing dust right now.

Juleka shook her head. "No sign of them either," she said as she shifted Nathaniel's arm over her shoulder.

The redheaded bard was recovering from the burnt wound on his back – all thanks to Rose's wonders – and he had insisted to come and help look for their friends. Juleka had been too exhausted (and relieved) to argue, but she adamantly refused to let Nathaniel wander off without any support.

The spy was only dinged up a little bit. Her long hair concealed most of her face, so any cut or bruise she had went unnoticed.

"Maybe we should get the fairies to help us search," Juleka suggested, glancing up at Tikki and Plagg.

"What do we look like – bloodhounds?" Plagg asked with a snort. "Unless you want me to render this entire castle to rubble, I can't help you."

"The other fairies need to tend to the wounded anyway," Tikki said. She offered Bridgette an adorable grin. "Besides, if I know Marinette, she's probably on her way –"

 _BOOM!_

Everyone yelped as something shook the entire chamber. Dust fell from the ceiling, making the streaks of sunlight dance, and the chandeliers swayed back and forth like pendulums.

Bridgette snapped up, her heart racing. _Marinette, Mother and Father..._

* * *

What no one knew was that the great shudder sweeping through the castle had been the result of the portal closing.

Queen Vivienne and Alya saw the bolt of red lightning shoot up into the sky from the direction of the old watchtower... before they felt the seismic wave.

It felt strange, feeling her heart fluttering inside her chest again.

The queen had been nothing but worried and restless, sitting there all tied up in Gabriel's study. Then Alya appeared... and she had brought Vivienne's still-beating heart with her.

She still remembered the grinding jolt of pain that shot through her when the shape-shifter shoved that glowing red thing into her chest. But almost immediately, it had vanished... and Vivienne felt a wave of emotions wash over her: joy, relief, gratitude... and chief among them, fear.

"Where is my son?" the queen has asked as Alya finished untying her. "Is he all right?"

The girl's amber eyes spoke more words than she offered. "He _will_ be... once we get back to the tower."

The next thing Vivienne knew, she was riding on the back of a great white fox, speeding down the hallways of her own castle like a knight on a steed.

Then the shuddering happened... and now Vivienne wished she couldn't feel fear anymore.

 _Adrien..._

Her only child, her light and joy, was up there in that decrepit ruin, fighting for his life against the man who had spent the past two decades trying to destroy their family.

But at least he wasn't alone. Alya had assured Vivienne that Nino and Marinette were with Adrien. But if Hawkmoth could bat away a squadron of trained soldiers with just a flick of his wrist, Vivienne couldn't bear to imagine how Adrien and his friends were faring right now.

All the more reason the queen needed to find him right now.

"Hurry!" the queen called to the white fox.

Alya grunted with approval and took off once more down the open hallway.

* * *

King Thomas and Queen Sabine found them first.

They were just making their way along the far side of the third floor, where the bridge leading to the watchtower sat right below them.

But then Sabine caught movement on the long, stone structure and rushed up to the edge of the balcony to get a better look.

That was when both she and her daughter saw each other.

By the time her parents had reached the lower floor, Marinette was already speeding towards them. Behind her, Adrien and Nino watched her go with relieved smiles.

Thomas swept his daughter off the ground and into his meaty arms. Then Sabine had Marinette buried her shoulder. Then all three of them were nothing but a cluster of armour, leather and hair.

Marinette cried and whispered, "I'm all right, Mama... I'm all right."

Then her parents were embracing Adrien, and Marinette almost laughed at the sight of her fiancé getting every bone in his body broken by her father's suffocating bear hug. Nino got his fair share too – reluctantly, of course.

It wasn't long before Marinette spotted two figures... and she turned and called Adrien and Nino with a smile.

The two young men looked up to see two women – a glowing-eyed redhead and a tall, angelic blonde – standing before them. The moment the sun touched their faces, they lit up with love and reprieve.

Nino nearly knocked Adrien over as he rushed forward and lifted Alya into his arms. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, peppering his face with kisses.

Adrien strode up to his mother, and she stepped graciously towards him. They didn't speak. They didn't open up their arms for the other. They just stared at each other.

Then Vivienne smiled and reached over to grip her son's hand. She pressed it against the spot where her heart was.

Though Marinette couldn't see Adrien's face, she knew he was smiling now.

This time, there was nothing holding mother and son back as they fell into each other's arms.

Glistening tears fell about Vivienne's cheeks. She kissed Adrien's head and rubbed circles on his back as he rocked her gently.

Marinette felt her own eyes watering up.

The Queen of Agreste looked right at the princess, bearing the same brilliant green eyes as her son. She said nothing, but that look and that smile spoke everything Vivienne needed to say: _Thank you._

Marinette smiled and nodded.

* * *

They all reached the throne room... and were greeted by an entourage of cheers and smiles.

Bridgette practically flew into her little sister, almost toppling them both over. But the two princesses laughed it off.

Then the onslaught of the Seven Bandits stampeded into Adrien, Nino and Alya. Kim was giving the prince a good-hard noogie. Rose and Mylene were hugging and kissing Alya on the cheeks. Ivan and Max clapped Nino on the back or otherwise pounded him in the shoulder. Juleka and Nathaniel lingered by until the swarm had receded, and then the spy and the bard took their turns reuniting with their friends (though for Nathaniel, it was an effort not to groan from the tension in his back).

Marinette soon joined the swarm, and now at last she felt at ease. Her friends, her family, her people... Everyone she loved was with her. They were safe. They were together. They were free.

After all of the cheering finally died down, Queen Vivienne ascended the dais and sat down in her father's throne with a broad smile. In her grand voice, she welcomed the three kingdoms to Castle Agreste.

Everyone in the chamber, her son included, bowed or curtsied before Her Majesty.

Then Vivienne beckoned Adrien forward. And Marinette too.

And when the queen took both their hands and clasped them over each other, Marinette realized there could be no end to her happiness.

She looked up into her feline prince's eyes with a bright grin.

Then he practically yanked her towards him and kissed her soundly.

As Marinette threw her arms around Adrien and gave herself to him, the throne room gave itself to celebration.

* * *

 _Months passed._

 _Lost friends and families were mourned and remembered. Homes and villages were restored. Alliances between kingdoms were re-forged._

 _And as winter slowly melted into spring, there were plenty of happy endings to go around._

 _At the behest of Tikki and Plagg – who became the new de facto leaders of their race – the fairies lowered the barrier between the mortal and magical worlds. No longer would they live in isolation and disregard of humans. No longer would they live in fear of being hunted, threatened or used for their magic. Princess Marinette and Prince Adrien had personally seen to it that human laws would include the welfare and prosperity of fairy-kind._

 _The fairies still preferred to remain in their own dominion... save for two._

 _Tikki and Plagg decided to live with their new friends in the human world. Tikki, because there was so much about the three kingdoms she wanted to explore and learn about. Plagg, because he finally found his happy ending in the form of an endless supply of camembert._

 _Nino and Alya became official captains of the Agreste Guard – beloved and respected amongst both the nobility and the common-folk. Apparently, everyone found it rather uplifting to have a skilled huntsman and a fierce shape-shifter as their protectors. They continued to love each other throughout the course of their duties. In fact, it wasn't long before Nino proposed to Alya... and no one had seen her happier._

 _That is, until the day Princess Marinette came and told Alya she had a surprise for her._

* * *

The four friends stood together – the princess, her prince, and the two captains – on a small hill overlooking a cozy-looking village.

Alya was fiddling with her fingers, looking anxious. Nino kept his arm around her and whispered assuring words in her ear. Marinette and Adrien, on the other hand, were nearly keeling over with anticipation.

It wasn't long before a farmer and his wife emerged from the cloister of houses. Walking between them, like two bouncing rabbits eager to catch a carrot, were two twin girls with sun-tanned skin and fuzzy brown hair.

The moment Alya laid eyes on them, she let out a gasp and covered her mouth.

And the moment the two little girls saw the shape-shifter, their faces lit up in perfect synchronization. They called out Alya's name and scampered up the hill towards her.

Nino smiled and let Alya go as she rushed over, fell to her knees, and let her two little sisters tackle her to the ground.

Marinette wasn't sure if she was sobbing or laughing – or both – but it was enough to leave her in tears as well.

* * *

 _Out of all the Seven Bandits, Kim was the only one to leave Agreste._

 _The strongman was offered a position as a palace guard in Dupain-Cheng. King Thomas was more than willing to give him full command of his own battalion, but Kim kindly refused. He claimed that he had enough of war to last him for a long while. But everyone else knew that Kim actually wanted to remain close to Princess Bridgette at all times._

 _Suffice it to say, the heir to Dupain-Cheng didn't argue against it. And to make the transaction easier, both Kim and Bridgette vowed to remain in contact with the rest of their friends._

 _No one had seen or heard from Queen Chloe of Bourgeois since she had "mysteriously disappeared" from her dungeon cell. While King Theo sent out search parties in the first few weeks, he began to realize deep down that his sister wasn't anywhere in the three kingdoms at all. It wasn't until after the third search came back with nothing when Princess Marinette finally came forward and told the young king the truth of Chloe's fate._

 _It took him a day or two to wrap his head around it, but Theo conceded that he would probably never see his sister again. And even if he did, she wouldn't be the same Chloe anymore, human or not. Marinette only hoped that one day – perhaps when Chloe finally let go of her wicked ways – brother and sister could forgive one another and become a real family once again._

 _So time went on._

 _And as spring arrived in full bloom in the Enchanted Forest, the real celebration finally began..._

* * *

Adrien stared down at the handheld portrait in his hands. Three golden-haired figures – a man, a woman and their little boy – smiled up at him. Adrien smiled back.

For the first time in the two years since he and Nino had run away from Castle Agreste, he would finally have the one thing he always wanted: a family.

And while Adrien wished his father could be here on this glorious day, he knew that Gabriel was with him in spirit, as he always had been.

Still, Adrien couldn't help but wonder... What if this was all just a dream? What if he was still trapped under the sleeping curse, and all of this was just an illusion of the happiness he long desired?

Adrien shook his head, laughing at himself. _It's just wedding jitters_ , he thought. _I'm not getting cold feet now._

The tent flap opened and four men filed into the prince's private tent, all dressed in regal, ceremonial garb.

"Everyone else is ready," Nino said as he gave his best friend a good look up and down.

Adrien took a deep breath and set the tiny portrait down on the table before straightening his tunic. He was dressed entirely in black velvet and warm silver silk, with a matching cape and boots. But as Adrien tugged a bit at his collar, he realized he was sweating up a storm.

 _Come on_ , he thought with a grumble. _I've faced worst situations than this._

Max noticed the prince's expression and sighed. "Get a grip, will you?" the little black man said as he helped the prince readjust his collar and tunic. "This is your wedding, not your funeral."

Kim snickered. "I can't believe it – Cat Noir, leader of the Seven Bandits and saviour of the three kingdoms, is a fraidy-cat."

"He sure dresses like one," Nathaniel noted with a curled lip.

Nino craned his head sideways. "Huh... He actually does."

Adrien scowled at all of them. "Ha-ha... You know, I _could_ have the four of you court-marshaled."

"Can't," the huntsman said with a smug grin. "Members of the _Queen's_ Royal Council now, remember? So, technically, _you_ can't tell us what to do anymore... not that you ever did."

Now Adrien was smiling, despite his wounded pride. "Are you going to rub that in my face every time we have an argument from now on?"

"Damn right."

All five of them burst out laughing.

At that moment, a tiny black blur hovered into the tent carrying a large block of camembert.

"What are you crazy humans doing in here?" Plagg asked in a bored manner before he tossed the cheese into the air and gobbled it all in one bite.

Adrien wrinkled his nose. "Do you really need to eat that _before_ you give me the ring, Plagg?" he whined.

The black fairy huffed at him with his mouth full. "Look, all this mushy stuff is going to make me lose my appetite, okay?" He swallowed before continuing, "So I might as well enjoy myself beforehand."

Nino snorted with a frown before turning to Adrien. "And you made _him_ the ring-bearer?"

"I made _you_ the best man," the prince said. "What are _you_ complaining about? Besides, Marinette wanted Tikki to be hers, so I had no choice." He sighed and looked at Plagg. "You're not even a real cat anymore, and you _still_ find ways to drive me nuts."

"Aw, don't be so down," Plagg said with flashed fangs. "What's life without a little chaos?"

Unsurprisingly, Adrien couldn't argue with that.

Max checked Adrien's cuffs one last time and then pulled away. "All right, Your Highness. Your lady awaits."

Once again, Adrien's stomach went all numb and foamy. He could feel his throat tightening, but it wasn't from pain or anger. It was from excitement.

He and his Ladybug had come a long way since the day she had tackled him on Troll Road. They'd been through so much danger, so much heartbreak, and so much distance. But there were also good moments in between: the first time they fought together, the first time they shared a dance, the first time they said "I love you", their first kiss...

What did Prince Adrien of Agreste have to be nervous about? He and Ladybug deserved their happy ending. After all, they've helped everyone else achieve theirs.

Well, _almost_ everyone. King Gabriel, Nathalie, Chloe... even Reginald. Whatever life or world he was in now, Adrien hoped the man who had once been Lord Hawkmoth found some shred of peace.

But now was not the time to dwell on what happened before, or what _could've_ happened.

Now was the time to look forward to what was coming next.

Adrien clasped the hands of his four friends one by one. "I just want to say... thank you. For everything."

Nino nodded proudly. "You too, bro."

"Need a hug?" Kim offered.

"No!" Max snapped with a sidelong grin. "You'll wrinkle his lovely tunic."

Nathaniel chuckled. "Perhaps I should mention in my book that you were the prince's royal dresser as well, Max."

"In that case, can I be taller? And with more muscle?"

This time, even Plagg was laughing.

* * *

"Miraculous Anniversary, Marinette!" Tikki announced as she presented the princess with her gift.

Marinette beamed at the ruby-red earrings the fairy plopped into her awaiting hand. They had black facets on them, making them look like the wings of a ladybug.

"Tikki, these are beautiful!" the princess exclaimed. She carefully put the little buds onto her earlobes. "Where did you get them?"

"I _made_ them, silly," Tikki said. "Those two jewels are home-grown back in the fairy lands. They'll bring you good fortune for years to come. And I know you love red and black."

Marinette gave the fairy a little cheek-hug. "Thank you, Tikki. I love them!"

"Now you have your "something new"," Bridgette said as she helped her sister turn to face the full-length mirror.

Alya stood by and smoothed out the white-lace train running along the ground. "And "something blue"," she pointed out. "The hair!"

The elder princess and the captain were both dressed in ladybug-red as homage to Marinette's favourite cloak (which, sadly, did not survive the battle of Castle Agreste). Instead of her usual long ponytails, Bridgette's hair now hung in a single lovely braid down her back, strung together with red ribbon. Alya had her auburn waves cascading around her shoulders. Complete with the red dress and her amber eyes, the shape-shifter looked like a beautiful fire goddess.

But neither girl was as beautiful as the blunette standing before them.

Marinette almost wanted to twirl around in her white gown from all the excitement flowing through her. The dress was mainly Bourgeois lace and Agrestian silk, with an A-line skirt, long sleeves that ended in points on the hands, and beaded pearls embedded along the bodice and neckline. There were more pearls in Marinette's hair, which was all done up in a vibrant, curly bun. Silver shoes adorned the princess's feet, and they glistened like diamonds when Marinette showed them off.

She couldn't remember feeling this beautiful... or this happy.

Her cheeks were as red as her new earrings, and her bluebell eyes were suddenly overflowing with tears.

"Whoa, easy there, girl!" Alya quickly held out a handkerchief. "It hasn't even started yet!"

Marinette dabbed at her eyes before responding, "I'm sorry. It's just..." She shook her head with a giggle. "This whole adventure started with me almost getting married. And now here I am, right back where I began."

Bridgette shrugged with approval. "At least this time, it's with the right guy."

The young princess smiled at that. Once upon a time, she had questioned what Bridgette had meant by "the right guy". Now Marinette knew.

 _The world is full of irony_ , she thought as she kindly folded up the handkerchief and handed it back to Alya.

"All right – no more crying," Alya scolded with a grin. "Not until the ceremony, anyway."

"Now all we need is a "something old"," Bridgette said, "and a "something borrowed"."

Tikki glanced between the three girls and blinked. "You humans have very weird marriage customs," she mused.

"Oh, really?" Marinette snorted. "And I suppose fairies are _less_ weird than humans?"

Tikki giggled. "Well, for one thing, fairies don't receive gifts or tokens until _after_ they're married," she explained rather haughtily. "And the ceremony lasts for many days. The couple receives the Celestial Blessing from the heavens, and then they dance and sing together in the Waters of Eternal Life, and then they lead a grand procession through the forest until they reach a cave of rainbow crystals, which they all use to unite the couple's magic through a series of rites and –"

"Okay, okay... Sorry I asked," Marinette interrupted with an awkward grin.

Bridgette and Alya were still laughing when the flap to the princess's tent opened up and the two human queens emerged, each one carrying a small box.

Queen Sabine face lit up with awe at the sight of her youngest daughter. "Oh, Marinette..." she breathed as she came closer. "You look absolutely stunning! And that hair!"

Marinette blushed as she gave her mother a gentle hug.

Queen Vivienne smiled. "I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful bride," she said.

The princess was blushing harder. "No, I can't possibly be fairer than _you_ , Your Majesty," she said with an earnest look at the queen.

It _was_ true. Adrien's mother looked radiant in her gown of gold and green, with sleeves that touched the ground and a magnificent crown upon her golden head.

Still, Marinette's words were enough to make Vivienne's smile broaden, and her green eyes softened. "You are so sweet, Marinette, but let's be reasonable. Today is for you, and you shall no doubt be the fairest princess in all the three kingdoms."

Bridgette groaned playfully. "She's right."

Marinette and Sabine giggled.

"But perhaps," Vivienne added as she presented the box in her hands, "it wouldn't hurt to add a little more colour to the look."

She lifted the lid of the box.

Marinette, Alya, Bridgette and Tikki all said, "Oooh!" at the same time.

Inside the box was a brooch of seven turquoise, feather-shaped jewels, each adorned with its own sapphire stud at the top. The whole thing reminded Marinette of a peacock.

"This was given to me by mother... at my wedding to Adrien's father," Vivienne explained with a dreamy smile. "She got it from _her_ mother as well, and so on and so forth." She looked up at Marinette and extended the open box. "Since I have no daughters, it makes sense that I pass it down to my son's lucky bride."

Marinette picked the brooch up and nodded graciously at the queen. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Vivienne shook her head. "There's no need for _that_ , anymore, my dear," she said with a sly grin. "I insist that you call me "Vivienne" from here on out. In fact, I order it."

Marinette almost laughed. Adrien had that _exact_ same grin. _Must run in the family._

"So... that's counts as "something old", right?" Tikki asked.

"You got it," Alya said.

"In that case," Sabine said as she opened up her own box, "this will qualify as the "something borrowed"." She reached in and pulled out a delicate, silver tiara.

Marinette instantly recognised it. The twin swans holding the rainbow crystal in place gave it away. It was her mother's favourite tiara. "Mama! You never let _anyone_ wear that – not even Bridgette!"

Sabine merely shrugged. "I think, just for today, I can make an exception," she said as she reached up and fastened the thing perfectly into her daughter's hair arrangement.

Bridgette frowned at her sister, who was unable to tell if she was faking it or downright peeved. Then the elder princess mumbled, "You lucky swine."

"Bridgette!" their mother scolded.

"What? She is!"

"If you behave yourself, I might let you borrow this for _your_ wedding as well. Which reminds me... Has Kim said the L-word yet, or are you two going steady?"

"Wha... I... He... _Mother_!"

As Marinette laughed at the banter between her mother and sister, she felt one of Bridgette's words sink in: "lucky".

The princess turned back to the mirror. Instead of a young bride, she saw a girl from the forest laughing up at the dark-cloaked boy she had caught in her net.

Looking back on that fateful day, not even Princess Marinette of Dupain-Cheng would have suspected that the squirming thief with the horrible puns and the overly-flirtatious attitude would end up being her one true love.

For the longest time, Marinette believed she had been extremely lucky; not every princess found the man of their dreams on the first run... and not always when fighting off Akumas and stone giants. But the moment she had woken Adrien with True Love's Kiss, Marinette finally got an inkling that maybe – just _maybe_ – it hadn't been a stroke of luck at all... but a stroke of destiny.

 _I was meant to save Adrien_ , she thought, _and he was meant to save me. And not only that, but we've saved so many others to get here._

She remembered the golden queen's words: _There is a magic more powerful than any force that walks this earth... a magic that precedes time and death and chaos. A magic that now resides inside your heart._

The magic of true love had saved Marinette and Adrien – and everyone else – more than once, in moments when all hope seemed lost. That was the only kind of power Marinette could ever need.

She only wished the Queen of the Fairies could be here with the rest of her kind. Marinette wondered if fairies were allowed live on after death within the folds of nature, maybe as trees or in the waves of the wind. It made her smile to think so. _Knowing the golden queen, she's probably giving herself a good pat on the back for helping me._

Two muffled voices from outside broke Marinette's daydreaming:

"What's taking them so long?"

"Marinette? Alya!"

The princess turned – along with everyone else – as Juleka and Rose respectively popped their heads into the tent. The healer and spy were also dressed in red. Like Alya, they were bridesmaids too.

Rose let out a hyperactive squeal at Marinette. "OhmygoshOHMYGOSH! You look so pretty!"

"Whoa..." Juleka said as she brushed her long, dark hair away from her face. "Now _that's_ what I call "snow white"."

Marinette was blushing again.

Alya craned her neck at the pair. "Was... there... something you came here to say?" she asked with an inquisitive look.

"Oh! Yes! Right!" Rose exclaimed, almost knocking Juleka over as she straightened up. "Everyone is gathering, including the fairies!"

"Goodness!" Queen Sabine covered her mouth. "If you girls will excuse me, I have to go fetch my husband. He'd better not be at the food tables again." She continued grumbling as she practically shot through the threshold.

Juleka sidestepped out of the way and then turned back to Marinette. "The priest is already at the altar... and so is Prince Charming." She sang that last part out with her mouth curled.

Marinette's hands went cold and clammy. "He's... He's there? Right now?" She felt her heart hammering in her chest, and all of a sudden she could feel the strength seeping away from her legs, making them wobble.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Mari," Bridgette groaned, rubbing her sister's tense shoulders. "You've fought against Akumas, a rock monster, a siren, _and_ the most powerful sorcerer in the entire world – all without fainting. If you refuse to set one foot outside this tent because you've got butterflies, I'll... I'll..."

" _I'll_ go all-fox and drag you down the aisle myself," Alya interjected, "with you hanging by your veil."

"Yeah, what she said."

Marinette gaped at both of them exasperatedly. "You're both horrible!"

Then she burst out laughing, followed by Tikki, Bridgette, Alya, Rose and Juleka.

And just like that, the butterflies in Marinette's stomach fluttered away.

 _Bridgette's right_ , she thought with a smile. _No matter what comes our way, Adrien and I will fight through it all._

 _Together._

* * *

 _In the words of Princess Marinette of Dupain-Cheng_ :

"Adrien... Cat Noir...

This is the ring that brought us together from the moment we met. And in the moment when we most needed each other, it brought me back to you.

I still don't know if it was luck or fate, but I do know one thing: my life would never have been an adventure if it weren't for you.

You helped me understand what it really means to find true happiness. And I am proud to say that I have found my happiness with you... and your charming puns.

I love you, Adrien, with all my heart, and I can't wait to share many more adventures with you."

* * *

 _In the words of Prince Adrien of Agreste_ :

"Marinette... Ladybug...

I once believed that true love was nothing but a fairytale; something that royals like us could never have. I was afraid that, given everything I had been through, I would never find my own happy ending.

But then you came charging into my life... quite literally.

You proved to me that true love was not only real, but able to withstand any evil that tried to tear us apart. Through all the hardship and sorrow, I never stopped believing that we would find each other. And we did.

And now that I'm standing here with you, I've realized something else: you are not my happy ending – you're my happy beginning.

I love you, my lady... and I will wake up every day knowing that I've found you at last."

* * *

There wasn't a single dry eye in the crowd – human or fairy.

The tall bishop turned to the golden-haired prince and said in his booming voice: "Do you, Adrien, promise to take this woman to be your wife and love her for all of eternity?"

Adrien brandished his trademark feline grin. "I do," he said warmly.

The bishop nodded and then addressed his bride, "And do you, Marinette, promise to take this man to be your husband and love him for all of eternity?"

Marinette shook her head with a giggle, making the pearls in her hair shimmer. "I do," she replied.

The couple gazed longingly into each other's eyes as the bishop raised his arms and declared, "I now pronounce you both husband and wife!"

Adrien had barely lifted his lady into his arms and given her a passionate kiss before the crowd burst into joyous applause.

Then, like stars in the night, Tikki and Plagg led the fairies into a great, sparkling sweep through the treetops. The glittering dust transformed into pink and white rose petals, which now rained down from the lush green canopy of the Enchanted Forest.

On the bride's side, King Thomas and Queen Sabine were huddling together in an embrace of tears and laughs. Bridgette, Alya, Rose and Juleka were squealing, clapping and crying (and jumping, on Rose's part).

On the groom's side, Queen Vivienne was trying – and failing – to wipe off the streams running down her cheeks, but it made her no less radiant and happy as she looked upon her son and his new bride.

Meanwhile, Nino, Kim, Max and Nathaniel cheered their fellow partner on. Max actually couldn't hold back his own tears, and Kim looked like _he_ was the one who needed a hug. Nathaniel just clapped on, and Nino winked over at Alya from across the aisle.

While the rest of the fairies were flying out and spreading their magic, Tikki and Plagg zoomed over to the happy couple. The little red fairy was twirling and cheering, and her partner was complaining about something bothering him in his eye.

As their friends and family welcomed the new Prince and Princess of Agreste, Marinette allowed Adrien to scoop her up and spin them both around in a whirl of snow-white and ebony-black.

And as their eyes met once again, Ladybug and Cat Noir exchanged one last silent vow:

 _I will always find you._

 _And I will always love you._

True Love's Kiss sealed the vow.

* * *

 _And so it was that the boy as black as night and the girl as red as the rose became eternally bound by the magic of true love._

 _While this is the end of this particular story, there are many more_ _ **Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir**_ _that have transpired in the years since their marriage, and this author has no doubt that many more will follow in the years to come._

 _And so, dear readers, it is not truly "happily ever after"._

 _For every happy ending is the only the beginning of a new life, a new adventure, and a new story._

– _Signed,_ _ **Lord Nathaniel of Kurtzberg**_

 _Master Bard and Chronicler of Agreste_

 _Official Member of the Queen's Royal Council_

 _Former Member of the Seven Bandits_

THE END

* * *

 **MB: Wow. Just... wow.**

 **To all you readers who have stuck with me through this long, tedious writing process, I salute you. Thank you so much for your feedback and support.**

 **All I can say now is... Miraculous Ladybug! (Whoosh! Sparkle, sparkle!) Pound it!***

 **Please check out my other ML Crossover, "Miraculaddin". To all you Disney lovers, I'm pretty sure the title is enough to tell you which movie it is based on.**

 ***Once again, I do not own _Miraculous_ , or _Once Upon a Time_. The credit goes to the great Thomas Astruc (for the ML) and the co-creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (for OUAT).**


	31. Coming Soon

_**Coming Soon...**_

 **I have some good news to announce:**

 **I will be writing a prequel/spin-off story to my** _ **Miraculous**_ **/** _ **Once Upon a Time**_ **crossover FanFiction, "I Will Always Find You"!**

 **It will be titled, "IWAFY: Before the Forest".**

 **The story will compose of** _ **three**_ **separate novellas, and they all take place before the events of "IWAFY".**

 **Think of them as three mini prequels – or, the untold stories of the main characters.**

 **Each novella will be based off some of the Season 1 episodes of** _ **Once Upon a Time**_ **(which I don't own and will reference upon publishing).**

 **The first story, "The Silver Lining", will be about Adrien and Reginald/Hawkmoth.**

 **The second story, "Of Monsters and Magic", will focus on Nino and Alya.**

 **The third story, "Catching Fire", will involve Marinette and Bridgette.**

 **So if you enjoyed reading this FanFic, there's plenty more coming!**

 **Stay tuned! :)**


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